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SFS Annual Meeting

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DEVELOPMENT OF DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NON-PERENNIAL RIVERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

There exists an incorrect notion that non-perennial rivers have low ecological, social and economic significance. There is a dearth of information on the linkages between spatial and temporal variability of non-perennial rivers, the integrity of these ecosystems, and human well-being. As a result, most of these non-perennial river systems are susceptible to anthropogenic influences and therefore require effective management policies and implementation to safeguard them. There are few existing methods on the management of non-perennial rivers in Africa. Most of the methods currently used to manage these river systems may not be appropriate since they were developed assuming perennial river systems. Water resources managers thus have difficulties in enforcing and/or estimating appropriate allocations of water for non-perennial rivers. The current study intends to develop decision-support tools that complement the process of monitoring of non-perennial river systems and enable evaluation of competing flow scenarios and other variables on instream habitat. The ongoing study has adopted a systems approach to the development of the understanding of the functioning of elements of non-perennial river systems, the nature of linkages between these elements, and how human modifications of river flows affect these systems.

James Machingura (Primary Presenter/Author), University of the Western Cape, 3879081@myuwc.ac.za;