Using space technology to verify water use

Abstract

WATER USE * Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria (wentzelj@dwaf.gov.za) ** GEOSS cc, Geohydrological and Spatial Solutions, Stellenbosch (jconrad@geoss.co.za) A 1998 LANDSAT satellite image on which the pivots can be seen. The farm boundaries are shown in yellow. Using Space Technology to Verify Water Use Using Space Technology to Verify Water Use The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry can now literally with the click of a computer button access information about South African irrigators. Johan Wentzel* and Julian Conrad** tell the story. The National Water Act of 1998 states that water rights that were exercised in October 1998 would be regarded as lawful use. This implies that an irrigator can carry on with their activities unless there is reason to believe that the resource is over allocated. In that instance, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry will implement a process of Compulsory Licensing. This is a process that is carried out in conjunction with the irrigators and will not be discussed further in this article.

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