Proposed hydro power station at Augrabies

[Toko]

Final Scoping Report:

http://aurecongroup.com/~/media/System/ ... rtver3.pdf


The Draft EIA Report is currently being compiled. I&APs can still submit comment on the proposed project.

[annie]

Does anyone have more info about this? See http://www.sanparks.org/about/news/default.php?id=56201

The SANParks statement reads: "A proposal has been tabled to construct a 40 Megawatt hydropower station on the Orange River, on the farm Riemvasmaak, North of the Augrabies Falls. The power station would be driven with water harvested from the Orange River upstream of the Augrabies Falls. It is anticipated that the harvesting of water will have an impact on the Augrabies Falls. As custodians of the Falls, the South African National Parks (SANParks) would like to engage with visitors to ascertain their perceptions about this proposed hydropower station development. Please submit your feedback by participating in the following online survey:
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=f7dKuoJeBDRt6hBDqCShcg "


It's a bit hard to be able to comment without more information. For instance, is an EIA being done? How far along are the plans? Anyone know?

[Flutterby]

Hi annie

There is a topic about this here.

[annie]

Thanks, Flutterby, will have a look at it now.

[Lisbeth]

Maybe the Augrabies' falls will not be the same (they are only special at certain times of the year anyway), but this is renewable power and does not pollute. There are lots of waterfalls all over

[Toko]

Here some comments and responses submitted during the initial Basic Assessment process. Link

Aspects of the proposed project would be within the areas zoned as “Primitive” and “Remote”. Should the proposed project receive environmental approval it would be necessary to amend the park management plan to allow for a hydropower station within these zones.

That the development will take place in a so-called remote zone according to the zonation plan of the Augrabies Falls National Park (AFNP) This is the zone providing the highest form of protection Remote Zone as explained in the second draft of the Park Management Plan for approval:
Characteristics:
This is an area retaining an intrinsically wild appearance and character, or capable of being restored to such and which is undeveloped. There are no permanent
improvements or any form of human habitation. It provides outstanding opportunities for solitude with awe inspiring natural characteristics. If present at all, sight and sound of human habitation and activities are barely discernible and at a far distance. The zone also serves to protect sensitive environments from development impacts and tourism pressure.
Conservation objectives of the zone
The conservation objective is to maintain the zone in asnear to a natural state as possible with no impact on biodiversity pattern or processes. Existing impacts on biodiversity either from historical usage or originating from outside the zone should be minimized. The zone should be managed within the following specific objectives:
Biophysical environment: The zone should be kept in as near to a natural state as possible with no impact on biodiversity pattern or processes. Deviation from a natural/pristine state should be minimized, and existing impacts should be reduced.
Aesthetics and recreational environment: The area should be kept in a natural state, and activities which impact on the intrinsically wild appearance and character of the area, or which impact on the wilderness characteristics of the area (solitude, remoteness, wildness, serenity, peace etc) should not be allowed.

The already diminishing riparian vegetation along the river due to increased farming practices (removal of vegetation right up to the edge of the river), is a major concern. The water level upstream of the weir will cause vegetation to be exposed to more water and downstream to less water (the distance between where water is extracted up to being released back into the river) which inevitably will be detrimental to the riparian vegetation.

While not explicitly forbidden in the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003), the provision of land for infrastructure linked to the commercial generation of power is not listed as one of the functions of SANParks and it is therefore questioned if SANParks is in a position to lease or otherwise provide rights for power generation infrastructure such as those contained in the proposal.

the fact that the power station will be inside a National Park is unacceptable to me. The first of its kind on the continent to be inside a National Park!

[Lisbeth]

It said in the article, that the power station itself, would be placed at a farm and the water would be taken from upstream and it would only have influence on the falls

Or the article is lying or the people commenting have not read the article properly. I must admit, that I have not read everything

[Toko]

Most of the infrastructure would be on Riemvasmaak Trust land which is community owned section under SANParks management. Components to be situated on SANParks’ property are an access road, section of the transmission line and the pipeline.

[Toko]

The entire projects sheds again some light on the entire zonation plans.

The pipe falls in the remote zone and rezoning would be necessary. Ammendments to zonation and Management plan require DEA approval and Public Participation Process.


Once again as with the hotels and lodges in Kruger. You can just plan anything in a remote zone of a NP, you must only change the zonation. So what exactly is the zonation about, if it is ammended and changed according to development plans. Should it not be the other way round and plan developments according to the zonation


Obviously SANParks officials have serious concerns and expressed this (see comments above), but will they nonetheless allow the SANParks land to be used for this?

[Richprins]

40 MW is a lot...and as Lis says, it is renewable..which we need to be headed. Also jobs will be created.

This is quite a good article: http://mg.co.za/article/2014-03-13-augr ... r-hit-list


One must also have in the back of one's mind that SA is undergoing an almost two-decade-long wet cycle, probably due to global warming? (Floods aplenty)

Here's HydroSA's homepage...without info on directors/partners etc., which is normally one's concern regarding who benefits from these kinds of projects...

http://hydro-sa.com/