ISSUE 235 - FREE
2
AUGUST 2019
COMMUNITY NEWS. ORIGINAL - ACCURATE - FIRST
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Bleshoender dam revamp project The Bleshoender dam also known as the dam at Lake Umuzi had to bear the brunt of criticism over the past few years regarding the plant growth in the dam. The influx of sewerage into the dam did not help to stem the growth of algae and other invasive plant life. Several attempts have been made to address the problem only to see the problems return. These efforts were very expensive but not effective. The Hartebeespoortdam fisheries supplied fingerlings that were released into the dam but that proved to be the incorrect measures. A new effort to clean the dam is now underway and a public meeting
was held at Boesies, Lake Umuzi, on Tuesday, 23 July. This was in line with the Public Participation Processes that needed to be taken. Lake Umuzi requires authorisation from DAEA for the aquatic rehabilitation and desiltation of the Bleshoender Dam (REF 1/3/1/16/1 G-124). Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) regulations as per Government Notice R.543 to Notice R.546 of 2010 must also be complied with. The activities that authorisation is required for are listed as: “The dredging, excavation, removal or moving of soil, sand, shells, shell grit, pebbles or rock of more than 5 cubic meters from a watercourse.” This is per
Listing Notice 1, GN.544 item activity 19. In more practical terms it means that the following will happen: the dam will be drained and the fish will be relocated. Reeds will be harvested and removed together with other aquatic vegetation. The sediment that is removed will be used for a new bird island (subject to approval) and the desilting activities will be performed by mechanical equipment. It will be a total rehabilitation of the dam. A basic assessment process has thus started with specialists input such as: Water quality results and reports, Fisheries Specialist report and
recommendations, Fishery permits and Ecological reports. Overgrown recreational water bodies have, in general, safety implications. There are drowning hazards, water and water table contamination by decomposing vegetation, the system supports bacteria and viruses, the sewerage run off into water bodies multiplies health hazards and feeds alien vegetation. The environment is a low sensitive riparian area and it is therefore recommended that mechanical equipment be used for the clean-up. We hope that the dam will be clean for the next few years after this massive clean-up and rehabilitation project.