PUBLIC ACCESS THROUGH MIDDLEVLEI

The changing faces of the Bot River Estuary Mouth, now blanketed under desert sand....

.... and then awash with kelp, green slime and miles of water!

The Western Cape Provincial Government are pursuant in establishing public access through Middlevlei through legally compliant terms, in accordance with the Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008 (ICM Act 24 of 2008). Many meetings have taken place between the various parties. For insight into the recent history, see the letter from Minister Anton Bredell to Mr Anton Meyer, Communications Officer of the Hawston Development Association and the Paddavlei Wetlands Group (PEG).

The following document was circulated by the Western Cape Provincial Government in preparation for a stakeholder workshop held on 20 November 2018.

Stakeholder Workshop Briefing Document November 2018

To better understand the legal process it is important to read the above document. The workshop was chaired by Mr Errol Serff, the consultant commissioned by Western Cape Provincial Government, to drive the initial phase of this process.

There were initially four options mentioned in the relevant document. At the workshop two more options were added, namely a No Go option and a boardwalk and pontoon from Rooisand to the beach. The management of Middlevlei HOA sent through comment prior to the meeting and several members of MHOA attended the meetings.

The morning meeting was attended by several members from Middlevlei HOA, as well as the developer, Theo Steinmann. No representatives from Hawston were present. Megan Campbell wrote up brief notes which highlight some important points.

The following are photographs of the boards giving the pros and cons relating to each of the options discussed:

Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Option 5
Option 6

Errol Serff stressed that this workshop was to gauge the opinions of all the stakeholders, nothing more. It is an ongoing process and there will be other meetings where people can give comment. Most importantly, the draft bylaw that government is basing this action on will need comment from us when it reaches the stage before promulgation.

Middlevlei parking area under water with artificial breach taking place 2008-09-29

Flocks of red-knobbed coots in September 2008 before being washed out to sea.

Flamingos and oyster catchers are frequent residents at the Bot River Estuary

Sunset looking out from under the washed away bridge 2018-12-05

After the 2008 breach, a large portion of the bridge washed away and massive section of dune carved away

MANAGEMENT OF THE BOT RIVER ESTUARY

Estuaries are important natural places. They provide goods and services that are economically and ecologically indispensable. Estuaries provide vital nesting and feeding habitats for many aquatic plants and animals. Economically and environmentally, the Bot River Estuary is ranked as the 9th most important estuary in South Africa, being a nursery for certain species of estuarine and marine fish.

These are the main factors that negatively affect an estuary's health and cause habitat loss:

• Water abstraction and alien infestation in the catchment area, reducing the possibility of a natural breach
• Population growth in coastal watersheds
• Dredging, draining, bulldozing and paving
• Polluted runoff from urban, suburban and rural areas
• Dams
• Sewage discharges (septic and conservancy tanks, dumping of sewage)
• Coastal land loss and subsidence (climate change, altering of channels, changing river courses)
• Lack of understanding and apathy

 Extract from the draft Bot River Estuary MMP 2018-01:

"If the Bot mouth is not breached artificially it will turn into a freshwater lake within five to ten years. As a result the invertebrate communities that serve as a food source for wading birds will change significantly, with crustaceans and molluscs being replaced by freshwater insects. Most of the 41 fish species that occur in the estuary are estuarine dependent or marine species and not adapted to fresh water condition. Mass mortalities of fish have occurred in the past when the estuary’s salinity fell below 6 practical salinity units (psu - seawater is 35 psu). The Bot Estuary is regarded as a highly important nursery area for marine fish, providing an ecosystem service valued at some R50 million, so this system’s function must be preserved."

The Bot River Estuary Forum (BREF) is a custodial organisation, concerned primarily with the protection and maintenance of this valuable ecosystem. The impact of human activities and intervention from the catchment area to the mouth have in the past and still continue to negatively affect this sensitive and precious ecosystem. In collaboration with governmental departments and nature conservation organisations, a new Bot River Estuary Mouth Management Plan is in the process of being developed, in addition to a revised Estuary Management Plan. 

On 31 March 2016, Anton Wilhelm Bredell, Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, adopted the Western Cape Coastal Management Programme (WCCMP) in accordance with the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (Act No. 24 of 2008).

Monitoring of Faecal Pollution

All stakeholders need to be kept informed of monitoring results with respect to breaching potential (natural and artificial), birds, fish, water quality, inflow, height and salinity. Monitoring of faecal coliforms is an important function in maintaining healthy water quality.

It is important to be aware of the significance of bacterial indicators of faecal contamination for the reports to be read in a meaningful way. This Basic Introduction, written by Ms Sue Matthews for Whale Coast Conservation in 2017, is an interesting and informative guide.

Click here to read the official 2018 reports of various estuaries, including the Bot. 

More to follow...