Water Wheel Nov/Dec 2024: Ecological Monitoring

Abstract

Local government contributions to improved river ecological monitoring Sustaining water-related ecosystems in urban rivers is critical to improved living conditions in cities. The world has already lost 70% of its water-related ecosystems, which is crucial for sustainable development (Xu et al., 2019). Effective monitoring programmes are essential to understand urban river quality and the impacts of pollution on its ecosystems. In South Africa, a progressive decline in the extent and integrity of national monitoring programmes was noted as one of the main conclusions in the Water Research Commission (WRC) funded study in 2012, ‘The freshwater science landscape in South Africa, 1900-2010’ (Ashton et al. 2012). Ashton et al. (2012) further stated that due to the lack of appropriate skills in the aquatic sciences, the number of water quality sites monitored had declined, with a decrease in parameters being analysed and a decrease in sampling frequency, hampering the management of water resources.

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