Closure of Water Points in Kruger National Park

[Richprins]

Africa Geographic only realising this now?

[Lisbeth]

Maybe it's the first time that the post something there

[Klipspringer]

https://www.sanparks.org/about/news/def ... p?id=58153

Media Release: KNP to remove Mingerhout Dam near Letaba Camp
13 January 2021

The Kruger National Park (KNP) in conjunction with South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will demolish Mingerhout Dam, found on the S47, about 9km north-west of Letaba Camp. The demolition operation will be conducted from Sunday, 24 January until Saturday, 6 February 2021. Explosives will be used to demolish the structure; after which the rubble will be removed as part of the rehabilitation process undertaken by the Expanded Public Works, Biodiversity Social Program.

"In between the work taking place at Mingerhout Dam, there will be some demolition for the remaining parts of Kanniedood near Shingwedzi as well. To ensure the safety of tourists, all roads in the two areas will also be temporarily closed from 24 January to 6 February 2021;" said the General Manager: Communications and Marketing, Isaac Phaahla. The affected roads are:

In Letaba, the affected roads are the S47 gravel road, the entire loop of S47 will be closed from the junction of S47 and H1-6 to junction of S47 and S131.
In Shingwedzi, the affected roads are the S50 gravel road, this will be closed from S50 and S134 junction in Shingwedzi to the S50 and S143 junction in Mooiplaas.
The then Parks Board constructed Mingerhout Dam (SANParks Asset) in 1974; which has over the years since its construction, silted up to the extent that it is no longer serving its purpose as a dam. Mingerhout is close to Engelhardt, another dam also found near Letaba (the two dams are 16 kilometres apart); management reached consensus to remove Mingerhout Dam to support the KNP rehabilitation program.

KNP has an artificial water provision policy which allows for the closing and removal of artificial water points. Artificial water holes where water did not previously occur naturally have led to numerous ecological problems such as erosion and other environmental degradations such as barriers to fish migration routes.

"Conservation Management has taken steps to rectify these negative consequences by closing and demolishing certain artificial water holes. To enhance tourist experience, alternative game viewing opportunities will be provided in the future at areas of naturally occurring surface water;" concluded Phaahla.

Issued by:
Communications & Marketing Department – Kruger National Park

Media enquiries:
Isaac Phaahla
GM: Communications and Marketing, KNP
Tel: 013 735 4363; Cell 083 673 6974
Email: Isaac.phaahla@sanparks.org

[Klipspringer]

alternative game viewing opportunities will be provided in the future at areas of naturally occurring surface water

They habe been saying this for years now but so far there is only one new road

[harrys]

They close waterpoints and do more harm by making new roads...... WHYYYYYY

[Klipspringer]

To please tourists. And of course generate income from happy tourists.

The waterholes along the major roads are there only for game viewing opportinities, if you close these waterpoints (all of them) there will be lots of roads in Kruger (esp the tar roads in the north) where you will hardly see any animals. Thus the idea to open new roads along rivers where there are natural pools also during the dry season.

[Richprins]

As if SANParks do not have bigger problems...

This will be the fourth assault on Kanniedood Dam by the army - it was destroyed by the floods in 2000 anyway!

[Klipspringer]

Experience gained from the building of the dams in the Letaba River showed that such dams silted up within 15 years and that they were not capable of maintaining perennial flow in the river for which reason they had been built in the first place.

From this oldish dicument (interesting)

https://www.sanparks.org/assets/docs/gr ... policy.pdf


Wonder what about Engelhard dam, the most recent one

[Peter Betts]

Experience gained from the building of the dams in the Letaba River showed that such dams silted up within 15 years and that they were not capable of maintaining perennial flow in the river for which reason they had been built in the first place.

From this oldish dicument (interesting)

https://www.sanparks.org/assets/docs/gr ... policy.pdf


Wonder what about Engelhard dam, the most recent one

Probably go the same way as Kannidood Dam >> Blown to Smithereens >> Charlie Engelhard should have kept his money

[Richprins]

Engelhard dam has a fish ladder, which may help? It is also Kruger's biggest dam.

The Shingwedzi has always stopped flowing for long periods anyway, and as said Kanniedood was breached in 2000 already. So it is pointless re-attacking the dam every year in the name of fish migration...