Focus on CSIR research in water resources: conservation planning for river and estuarine biodiversity in the Fish to Tsitsikamma water management area

Abstract

The Fish to Tsitsikamma Water Management Area is one of 19 water management areas in South Africa and is situated mainly in the Eastern Cape Province. The systematic conservation plan used quaternary catchments for planning units and rivers were classified into 113 river types using a geomorphological and hydrological classification system. A target of 20% of river length was set for each river type. In order to meet these targets the freshwater conservation design determines which rivers (within quaternary catchments) and estuaries are needed for protection. The plan recommends: negate the effects of deleterious land-use activities, retain natural flow regimes and exclude alien species