FIGURE 2.6: RIVER CATCHMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS WITH WATER QUALITY
19 September 2017
The Msunduzi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It passes through the
contre
of Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital. A portion of the river within the city
has been dammed by weirs, and is used for canoeing and rowing practice.
The river contains counts of E. coli bacteria as high as 50 000/100 ml. Health issues
for canoeists using the river include
diarrhoea, as well as eye and ear infections, and
septic cuts
The poor quality of water is believed to be caused by sewers near the river
overflowing during heavy rains and illegal dumping.
An NGO has been set up to improve water quality, and conserving the regions
around the
river. It also uses trash nets as a means of catching and removing
lilegal
R10 million rand programme to repair and improve the sewage system.
dumped trash
חס
a
(Adapted from: Wikipedia)
Read the extract in FIGURE 2.6 based on catchment and river management
2.6
2.6.1 Define the term catchment area.
(1 x 1) (1)
2.6.2 What evidence in the extract suggests that the Msunduzi River has
poor water quality?
(2x 1) (2)
2.6.3 Why do you think is it important to manage rivers in South Africa?
(2 x 2) (4)
2.6.4 Describe how people contribute polluting the Msunduzi River.
(2 x 2) (4)
2.6.5 Excluding those mentioned in the extract, outline other catchment
management strategies that can be used by officials to save the
Mzunduzi River
(2 x 2) (4)​