Background
The National Siltation Management Strategy for Dams in South Africa is a programme funded by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and managed by the Water Research Commission (WRC) that aims to develop and pilot a strategy that will guide, advise and ensure effective siltation management and related improved storage capacity of dams, especially the 320 state-owned dams operated by the DWS. The programme sets out to address reservoir storage losses experienced due to dam siltation, the accumulation of sediments and silt in dams as a result of soil erosion. The programme is of great importance due to the ongoing water crisis faced in South Africa, of which is exacerbated by losses in water supply in a time of increasing demand. The programme is set to run over the course of the next 3 years consisting of 3 phases:
- Development of a Siltation Management Strategy for Large State Dams
- Piloting of the draft Strategy, Models and Tools
- Review and revision towards a final Strategy, possible models and tools
For more information please visit the NatSilt Programme website on: https://wrcnatsilt.org.za/about-us/