Closure of Water Points in Kruger National Park

[Richprins]

The first promises, on the first page, were that windmills would be closed but left open for emergencies...agreed don't understand the dynamiting part...


Parastatals not big on maintenance, as experience indicates lately. Perhaps a tender just to maintain windmills?

I doubt the scheduled closings are going according to plan, but just my opinion...

[Flutterby]

Posted on 15/10/2015:

Media Release: KNP to remove Sirheni Concrete Dam for ecological reasons

The Kruger National Park (KNP) in conjunction with South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will demolish the dam wall at Sirheni, one of the bush camps in the northern part of the Park in the week of 19 – 23 October 2015. The dam was damaged beyond repair during the 2013 floods. Explosives will be used to demolish the dam wall, after which the remains will be removed as part of the rehabilitation process.
The area around the target structure will be cleared to ensure animals and human beings are safe. Ranger and Military staff will be on the ground throughout and the road leading to the dam will also be temporarily closed. KNP has been closing redundant artificial water points for the past eight years, the last one having taken place in December last year; said the General Manager: Communications and Marketing, William Mabasa.
Artificial waterholes where water did not naturally occur previously have led to numerous ecological problems such as erosion and other environmental degradation. This also resulted in undesirable consequences for the rare herbivore species such as roan and sable antelope, increasing grazing competition by the more abundant herbivores. Conservation management has taken steps to rectify these consequences by closing and demolishing certain artificial water points. These will be replaced by naturally occurring waterholes in the area, where possible and where such ecological consequences are not likely.
“With continuous research data at our disposal, we have gradually changed our outlook on biodiversity management over the years. With this data available, policies and procedures can be revisited and revised; and that is evident in the change in policy regarding water distribution in the Park”, concluded Mabasa.

Issued by:
Communications & Marketing Department, Kruger National Park
Tel: 013 735 4262, cell: 082 807 1441
E-mail: laura.mukwevho@sanparks.org
Enquiries:
William Mabasa
GM: Communications & Marketing, Kruger National Park
Tel: 013 735 4363, cell: 082 807 3919
E-mail: william.mabasa@sanparks.org

[Richprins]

The Kruger National Park (KNP) in conjunction with South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will demolish the dam wall at Sirheni, one of the bush camps in the northern part of the Park in the week of 19 – 23 October 2015.

This is less than a week's warning!


The dam was damaged beyond repair during the 2013 floods. Explosives will be used to demolish the dam wall, after which the remains will be removed as part of the rehabilitation process.

No dam is damaged beyond repair. Explosives cost money.



The area around the target structure will be cleared to ensure animals and human beings are safe.

How exactly will that happen? Many small animals will die, and others scared out of their wits!:shock:


Ranger and Military staff will be on the ground throughout and the road leading to the dam will also be temporarily closed.

Rangers and military staff have far more important things to do in this time of poaching crisis, water shortage and potential fire hazard. There is no public road to the dam...but a single road to the restcamp there. Unnecessary inconvenience.



KNP has been closing redundant artificial water points for the past eight years, the last one having taken place in December last year; said the General Manager: Communications and Marketing, William Mabasa.


KNP has not "closed" this waterpoint, it was washed away, and has existed for almost half a century, giving rise to a profitable tourism destination.




Artificial waterholes where water did not naturally occur previously have led to numerous ecological problems such as erosion and other environmental degradation.

Maybe, maybe not. But not relevant in this case at all. Not part of the master plan.


This also resulted in undesirable consequences for the rare herbivore species such as roan and sable antelope, increasing grazing competition by the more abundant herbivores.

Not relevant here either. Many boreholes have indeed been closed in remote areas. Animals have settled down in this area, as there is virtually always water in the Mphongolo River anyway? Saw sable at the dam myself in 2012.

Conservation management has taken steps to rectify these consequences by closing and demolishing certain artificial water points. These will be replaced by naturally occurring waterholes in the area, where possible and where such ecological consequences are not likely.


Conservation Management has not dynamited one single dam along a tourist road.


“With continuous research data at our disposal, we have gradually changed our outlook on biodiversity management over the years. With this data available, policies and procedures can be revisited and revised; and that is evident in the change in policy regarding water distribution in the Park”, concluded Mabasa.


There can be no decision taken without a proper aerial census of all large animals in Kruger, which has not happened for over a decade. The impact of escalating numbers of elephants is pertinent in this regard, as well as uncertain climate change. MOST important of all, scientifically, is that Kruger is a fenced-off area surrounded by a water-hungry populace constantly polluting and depleting its perennial and indeed seasonal rivers.

[Lisbeth]

Explosive! They must be out of their minds

[nan]

in a park... with animals

poor... poor Kruger

[H. erectus]

Yap Lisbeth and Nan, seems they are trying to prove a point again,....
a little over the top utilizing and instructing the national defense force!!

Oh my goodness,...for goodness sake sanparks just flip a lid or create a sluce
point for drainage,..retaining your water source,...!!! should matters get worse!!!

[Richprins]

These will be replaced by naturally occurring waterholes in the area

What they are trying to say is it will go back to pre-artificial times, but poorly worded. But then they must add road access to those points for tourists?


An unconsidered thing about tourist waterpoints is that they take a lot of vehicles off the road for many months of the year, relieving congestion!

[Alf]

Natural occurring waterholes needs rain

Up north the rainfall is less than south

[Richprins]

Ja...lots of water all over the last 10 years, but this year a wakeup in areas. It's not actually about water, it's about grazing. The artificial waterpoints were started to enable unused grazing to be utilized in dry season.

[nan]

and why don't continue like that