Water Wheel July/Aug 2024: Mutale Peat Wetland

Abstract

South Africa’s 40 000-year-old Mutale Peat Wetland: threats from historical land transformation and changing climate Physical setting The Mutale Peat Wetland is situated within the Soutpansberg geomorphic province and forms part of the greater Luvuvhu River catchment, a main tributary of the Limpopo River (Figure 1) (Partridge et al. 2010, Hahn 2011). The Mutale River originates in the uplands of the Soutpansberg at Thathe Vhondo, first flowing west-southwest before turning north and discharging into Lake Fundudzi after 10.5 km (Figure 2). The Mutale Peat Wetland lies along a tributary of the Mutale River and is situated 3.2 km downstream of the latter’s source. The wetland forms part of the upper Mutale River catchment, an area of approximately 3.2 ha at an elevation of 1 180–1 200 m above sea level (Figure 2). Within a catchment of ~76 ha, the wetland is not fed by any major river system and is totally dependent on rainfall to sustain itself.

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