Water SA Manuscript

DRIFT-ARID: A method for assessing environmental water requirements (EWRs) for non-perennial rivers

Published: 2016

Report No: 3 210,10

Authors: Kemp M, Prucha B, Sokolic F, Van Tol J, Le Roux P, Esterhuyse S, Avenant M, Joubert A, Rowntree K, King J, Rossouw L, Redelinghuys N, Watson M, Van der Waal B, Barker C, Van Rensburg L, Graham D, Seaman M, Vos T

Abstract

Environmental water requirement (EWR) assessment methods, for ascertaining how much water should be retained in rivers to sustain ecological functioning and desired levels of biodiversity, have mostly been developed for perennial rivers. Despite non-perennial rivers comprising about 30–50% of the world’s freshwater systems, data on their hydrology, biota and ecological functioning are sparse. Current EWR assessments require hydrological and other data that may not be available for such rivers and some adaptation in the methods used seems necessary. DRIFT is an EWR method for perennial (or near-perennial) rivers that has been developed in South Africa over the past two decades and is now widely applied nationally and internationally.

Authors

Kemp M

Prucha B

Sokolic F

VTJ

Van Tol J

LRP

Le Roux P

Esterhuyse S

Avenant M

Joubert A

Rowntree K

King J

Rossouw L

Redelinghuys N

Watson M

VdWB

Van der Waal B

Barker C

VRL

Van Rensburg L

Graham D

Seaman M

Vos T

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