OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Fuggle, Richard Francis"

Browsing by Author "Fuggle, Richard Francis"

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Open Access
Aerial photography and environmental impact analysis : the potential contribution of comparative interpretation of multi-temporal aerial photographs to Environmental Impact Analysis
(1984) Bayne, Sandra Maureen; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Stauth, Roy Bryan
The hypothesis was advanced that comparative interpretation of multi-temporal aerial photographs can be used as a tool in Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA). To test this hypothesis a site, Silwerstroomstrand, approximately 40 kilometres north of Cape Town on the West coast was chosen. An analysis of the site was carried out using aerial photographs taken in 1938, 1960, 1968, 1971, 1977, 1981 and 1983 at scales ranging from 1:7 000 to 1:50 000. Development of the site for recreation began in 1972 and in 1976 for water extraction. Pre-development photographs, 1938, 1960, 1968 and 1971, were stereoscopically compared and the observations were interpreted using a systems approach. From the analysis of the photographs and information on past landuse, the dynamics of the site were described with particular attention to the response of that environment to perturbations such as fire and removal of vegetation. Development actions were analysed to establish any similarity to past perturbations and on the basis of similarities, predictions of probable future responses of the site (and hence impacts) were made. The predicted impacts were compared with: 1. the interpretation of post-development photographs. 2. Impacts identified by a multi-disciplinary panel after a visit to the site. It was found that the major limitation of multi-temporal aerial photographs was the spatial resolution of the early (pre 1970) photographs. However, the capabilities of the tool for quantitative and semi-quantitative data gathering; promoting an understanding of spatial and temporal relationships; monitoring change; communicating information and the fact that it is economical means that it has a positive contribution to make to Environmental Impact Analysis is suggested that the optimal use of the tool of comparative interpretation of multi-temporal aerial photography is to combine it with other tools such as site visits and multi-disciplinary panels.
Open Access
An aggregated sustainability index for the Cape Metropolitan Area
(2001) Shippey, Karen; Fuggle, Richard Francis
Summary in English
Open Access
An analysis of the education potential of sites in the Cape Peninsula for secondary school fieldwork in environmental studies
(1977) Nightingale, Charles S; Fuggle, Richard Francis
In South African secondary schools much less fieldwork is undertaken than in a number of other countries despite fieldwork being required by some school syllabuses and the fact that, in many areas, suitable sites are ready to hand. In an attempt to assess the nature of future demands for fieldwork sites, this study reviews developments in education which lead to increasing emphasis on teaching outside the classroom, and the reasons why so little fieldwork is being done are analyzed. A methodology is developed for selecting fieldwork sites taking into account educational priorities and practical constraints. This is worked out in practice by drawing up a fieldwork syllabus for a particular school, and selecting sites in the Cape Peninsula for field studies. Finally, the educational potential of a sample of these sites is indicated by means of exercises prepared for secondary school children.
Open Access
An assessment of the value of a small nature reserve, with particular reference to the Palmiet Nature Reserve, Westville, Natal
(1978) Cottrell, Michael James; Fuggle, Richard Francis
This study investigates the value of small nature reserves of less than 100 ha. The biological, recreational and educational values of small nature reserves in general are assessed and management for multiple-use activities is considered. A specific example, the 35 ha urban reserve, the Palmiet Nature Reserve in Westville, Natal, is evaluated in terms of the biological communities, visitor attitudes and their reasons for going into this Reserve, use by educational institutions, management and problems. Recommendations for improving the potential of the Palmiet Nature Reserve for both conservation and multiple-use activities are suggested. Changes in the Nature Conservation Ordinance in Natal to accommodate local nature reserves are recommended. Finally the justification for establishing small nature reserves is considered.
Open Access
Conservation of private land by means of compensatory mechanisms and incentives
(1986) Glazewski, Jan; Fuggle, Richard Francis
This report reviews the potential of financial incentives and compensatory mechanisms for achieving conservation goals on privately owned land in South Africa. Legal concepts, such as the notion of absolute ownership of property, are examined in the context of South Africa's historical and political circumstances to highlight how they have contributed to a highly individualistic attitude to land ownership in South Africa. The achievement of environmental objectives has relied largely on outright control of, and prohibitions on, the use of land. Incentives and compensatory mechanisms offer complementary methods of encouraging the diminution of ownership rights in private land for the public interest. A review of some foreign legal systems shows that compensation for the diminution of private rights in land is a grossly neglected area of South African law. It is found that attention should be given to the development of satisfactory principles of compensation as well as to the incorporation of incentives into South African legislation. It is concluded that the success of such recommendations is dependant on the fulfilment of certain administrative prerequisites, including the formulation of a national strategy for the conservation of private land in South Africa and the constitution of a formal body of experts to advise on compensation and incentive schemes.
Open Access
Conservation priorities and management recommendations for the Erongo Region Coastal Zone, Namibia
(1996) Du Preez, D; Braby, Rob; Williams, Tony; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Butcher, Shirley
The most intensively used part of the Namib Coastline, the area between Walvis Bay and the Ugab river, contains some of the most important and most sensitive natural habitats. Apart from their ecological value, these habitats also attract large numbers of tourists. Tourism is one of the main sources of income in the coastal area of the Erongo Region, therefore it is in the interest of Namibians that these habitats are utilised in a sustainable way. The Department of Resource Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is responsible for managing the West Coast Tourist Recreation Area as well as the wildlife in all of Namibia. Conservation managers from this Department have identified sites in the study area that are important for maintaining healthy populations of rare, threatened or endemic species or species of international and regional importance. These sites must be managed in such a way that their conservation and tourism value is not detrimentally reduced. In order to assist conservation managers with the allocation of resources, the sites that were identified are divided into three priority groups, namely imperative, urgent and desirable. The evaluation for priority rating was done according to the criteria of conservation value, tourism value and threats. Sites were compared using pair-wise comparison, and groupings were obtained through cluster analysis. The sites that were identified, their main reason for conservation, most important threats and management recommendations are listed below according to the priority groupings. Management recommendations are only done for the two highest groupings, namely the imperative and important sites.
Open Access
The construction of a South African knowledge base for environmental management and monitoring of transgenic soybean, maize and cotton
(2006) Alborough, Dean Bradley; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Murphy, Kerry
By 2005 South Africa was ranked as the 8th largest producer of transgenic crops, with 0.5 million hectares planted to maize, soybean and cotton (James, 2005). A need is recognized for environmental scientists to engage with the technology and understand its place in the agroecosystem and broader environment, and for environmental education to engage agricultural biotechnology so that the benefits and hazards of the new technology are communicated to farmers, regulators and the public. Modern information technology provides a possible means of such communication.
Open Access
Developing a model for reviewing the implementation and utilisation of Environmental Accounting
(2000) Alheit, Wilhelm; Fuggle, Richard Francis
Environmental regulation and environmental pressures from various interest groups have been steadily increasing in recent years. Poor environmental performance by business may be costly and may lead, for example, to increased environmental taxes, financial liabilities resulting from lawsuits related to environmental incidents, or damage to public image as a results of pressure group campaigns. The environment has become a significant cost factor for business. Lack of environmental cost information However, many companies do not know how what the magnitude and extent of their environmental costs are. Financial accounting and reporting systems are not designed to extract environmental cost information from general financial information. Financial accounting systems do not reveal how high environmental costs and liabilities are, nor what the sources of environmental costs are. Environmental management systems on the other hand, produce environmental data, but this data is not monetized and therefore does not reveal much about environmental costs either. Why financial accounting systems fail to reveal accurate environmental cost information Accounting systems typically pool environmental costs into overhead accounts. The result is that both the sources of the environmental costs and its nature as environmental costs are obscured by the financial reporting system. This becomes a problem when the environmental costs assigned to overhead accounts are significantly high, or when different products, materials or processes contribute to environmental costs unequally. How environmental accounting generates environmental cost information Environmental accounting generates environmental cost information by identifying the significant environmental costs of a company. This is done by identifying the processes, materials, wastes or products of a company that create significant environmental impacts. Environmental accounting then investigates the financial reporting system and identifies all the costs that are associated with these processes, materials, wastes or products and that may potentially be hidden in overhead accounts. Once the environmental costs have been identified in overhead accounts, the costs can be allocated to its sources. Thus environmental cost information is generated that reveals the true extent and the sources of environmental costs. This information can then be used to inform a company's business decisions. The process described above illustrates how environmental accounting combines the disciplines of environmental and financial management. Environmental data from the environmental management discipline is used to focus attention on the processes, materials, wastes or products of a company that create significant environmental impacts. The skills of the financial management discipline is then used to link the processes, materials, wastes or products with significant environmental impacts to the costs created by them. These costs would typically have been obscured or hidden in overhead accounts. Through providing more accurate environmental cost information, environmental accounting can reveal opportunities to management for the reduction of environmental costs and the improvement of environmental performance. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an Environmental Accounting Review Model that presents guidelines against which the adequacy of an environmental accounting project can be assessed. What follows is a brief description of the main elements of the Environmental Accounting Review Model, which outlines the basic elements of the process of environmental accounting.
Open Access
The development of a composite sustainable development indicator for a corporate retail enterprise
(2007) Rosenburg, Saul; Mabin, Marshall; Ackermann, Neil; Fortoh, Ernest; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Hill, Richard
This dissertation proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for the creation and implementation of a Composite Sustainable Development Indicator for a retail corporate entity. It provides a review and evaluation of existing approaches to sustainability development, and in particular Corporate Sustainability. The study selects and combines aspects of existing conceptual frameworks into a new conceptual framework for a Composite Sustainable Development Indicator for the retail context. It then applies this framework and general principles and criteria of sustainability assessment, in the selection and adaptation of an existing CSDI framework, namely the Barometer of Sustainability. An illustrative example of the application of the proposed methodological framework is also provided. The study was initiated based on the need for more research into the complexity of Composite Sustainability Indicators. The study also attempts to address the lack of effective methodologies for assessing, measuring and managing sustainability within a corporate environment. It thus proposes a more rigorous approach to sustainability that may enhance the current culture of reporting.
Open Access
The development of a composite sustainable development indicator for a corporate retail enterprise
(2007) Saul Rosenburg, Marshall Mabin, Neil Ackermann, Ernest Fortoh; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Hill, Richard
This dissertation proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for the creation and implementation of a Composite Sustainable Development Indicator for a retail corporate entity. It provides a review and evaluation of existing approaches to sustainability development, and in particular Corporate Sustainability. The study selects and combines aspects of existing conceptual frameworks into a new conceptual framework for a Composite Sustainable Development Indicator for the retail context. It then applies this framework and general principles and criteria of sustainability assessment, in the selection and adaptation of an existing CSDI framework, namely the Barometer of Sustainability. An illustrative example of the application of the proposed methodological framework is also provided. The study was initiated based on the need for more research into the complexity of Composite Sustainability Indicators. The study also attempts to address the lack of effective methodologies for assessing, measuring and managing sustainability within a corporate environment. It thus proposes a more rigorous approach to sustainability that may enhance the current culture of reporting.
Open Access
Enhancement of the conservation issues in visitors to three South African nature reserves
(1983) Preston, Guy; Fuggle, Richard Francis
A statistically significant increase in awareness of conservation issues has been found for South African residents who stayed overnight in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, in Giant's Castle Game Reserve, or in Londolozi Private Game Reserve. Despite these increases, the levels of awareness of conservation issues in respondents leaving the reserves are considered low. These findings, using a longitudinal survey design, were verified using a cross-sectional survey design. Approximately 150 respondents were interviewed in each reserve, and for both approaches. Respondents were found to represent a most privileged sector of the South African public, both in terms of educational and socio-economic status. Interest in nature, and use of interpretative services, are shown to be limited by a generally narrow perspective of nature conservation. Interpretative facilities and programmes in the reserves were not found to be structured in a manner whereby the various mediums complemented one another to provoke an holistic consideration of nature and the conservation thereof.
Open Access
An enquiry into gamefarming in the Cape Province
(1983) Colvin, Ian Stuart; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Grindley, J R
Gamefarming in Africa has generally failed to exploit the potential biological productivity of indigenous wildlife populations. This study enquired as to the reasons for such failure within the Cape Province. The enquiry focused on management, research and marketing aspects of gamefarming. Personal interviews, a questionnaire and a literature analysis provided the information for the study. A description of the overall gamefarming situation is provided. Those management problems identified here found to be largely dependent on individual farmer's methods and the intensity of game utilisation. The primary uses of game were aesthetic appreciation and sport hunting. Such usages, being of low intensity, were accompanied by low levels of management effort. The lack of a stable economic incentive was found to be the major inhibition against adopting intensive commercial means of game utilisation by cropping, safari hunting and live sale.
Open Access
Environmental and related interest groups in South Africa
(1983) Schweizer, C D; Fuggle, Richard Francis
This study was undertaken to provide information on interest groups or voluntary organisations which involve themselves in environmental conservation. The primary aim was to identify and list all those groups which together make up the environmental lobby in South Africa. Further aims were to determine the environmental orientation and characteristics of the groups, and to determine the degree of involvement they offer to the general public. The groups which were identified as comprising the environmental lobby are listed in a detailed form in part 2 of this study. They appear to concentrate largely on the conservation of the natural environment. The results of the study suggest that the environmental lobby contains a relatively small number of groups which register limited support. This support is drawn largely from the white section of the population. The groups themselves are well organised, but in general display a low financial base. A greater reliance appears to be made on the development of specialist skill than on the promotion of group cohesion and the generation of public support. It is believed that this may have led to the restriction of opportunities for general public involvement in group activities. It is suggested that groups in the lobby need to expand their interests to include conservation of the built environment, and so increase their appeal to the public. The opportunities for public involvement in group activities at all levels also need to be increased.
Open Access
Environmental education in secondary schools in metropolitan Durban : opportunities and constraints in the use of the natural environment
(1988) Christian, Colin R; Fuggle, Richard Francis
The study is placed in the context of the development of Environmental Education and the integral role of fieldwork in fulfilling its objectives. The requirements of teachers regarding the use of natural areas for environmental/ecological fieldwork were investigated by means of two surveys which used open-ended questions and numerical rating scales. An exploratory postal survey of school principals was used to investigate the current use of natural areas by schools and the relative importance of constraints upon fieldwork. It was found that, while most White schools made some formal use of natural areas, fewer Asian and Coloured schools did so, and fieldwork amongst Black schools was almost non-existent. Extra curricular fieldwork was primarily a phenomenon in White schools. Constraints varied in importance between schools in different education departments but overall a lack of teacher training in fieldwork was the major constraint. Interviews with a sample of teachers who had used natural areas provided detailed information on their environmental/ecological fieldwork requirements. Three hypotheses relating to factors influencing teacher choice of fieldwork sites were tested. In this regard it was found that certain intrinsic characteristics of natural areas, and the availability of teaching resources (including site-specific training and educational field officers) were important influences. Increasing transport costs, while often a secondary consideration, may increase the future demand for local fieldwork sites. The specific characteristics and facilities required of natural areas were investigated in detail. The study concluded that the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System has considerable potential to meet the environmental fieldwork requirements of schools. Towards this end a set of criteria for selecting appropriate natural areas, and a list of priorities for developing them, were established.
Open Access
An environmental evaluation methodology for improving resource allocation decisions : a treatise with selected South African case studies
(1989) Stauth, Roy Bryan; Fuggle, Richard Francis
This dissertation addresses the problem of how to manage environmental resources to improve the prospects that resource allocation activities will make the greatest possible contribution to social well-being. The study had two major aims. One aim was to provide a rational philosophical framework for guiding resource evaluation and decisionmaking processes. The second - and principal - aim was to develop a reliable and practical method for evaluating those resource allocation proposals which are particularly controversial. As part of the philosophical framework, a modification of the social welfare function is specified which explicitly addresses the well-being of future generations. This form of the social welfare function is based on certain a priori premises, which are used to define the goal and objectives of resource allocation, and to identify appropriate evaluation criteria. These evaluation criteria are then used to devise a resource management strategy and to develop an environmental evaluation methodology to serve that strategy. The methodology consists of both formal and informal methods of evaluation, but special attention is given to developing a formal method of evaluation that is simple and inexpensive to apply, and therefore particularly suited for Third World conditions. The principal research objective was to develop a useful method for evaluating those resource allocation proposals which are especially controversial. The method that has been developed - the Panel Evaluation Method - utilizes a cost-benefit framework and employs procedures modeled on the Delphi Method. The Panel Evaluation Method features three techniques for accomplishing a formal evaluation of competing proposals: the Impact Identification Technique is used to identify and define all the impacts of concern; the Significance Measurement Technique is used to judge the relative significance of the impacts; and the Criteria Trade-off Technique is used to determine which proposal best satisfies specified evaluation criteria. The Panel Evaluation Method was applied to several case studies with positive results. For example, the central feature of the method - the Significance Measurement Technique - was found to be capable of producing reasonably replicable results, and so is considered to provide an acceptable way to determine whether the costs of a proposal would exceed its benefits. The method thus serves to extend the capabilities of both Environmental Impact Assessment and Cost-benefit Analysis, and to link these two widely-used tools for guiding resource allocation decisions into a more powerful and versatile decisionmaking tool.
Open Access
Environmental evaluation of alternative options for the disposal of oily waste following a marine oil spill off the South African coast and development of a decision strategy
(1991) Dehrmann, Alison Ann; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Meadows, Michael E
Oil spill contingency planning for the South African Coast undertaken by the Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Department of Environment Affairs, has revealed that alternative disposal methods for oily waste need to be investigated in order to cope effectively and timeously with a major oil spill. Current techniques dealing with oily waste disposal are reviewed. These include recovery for re-use, stabilisation of oily waste, biodegradative techniques such as landfarming, co-disposal with municipal waste, stimulated biodegradation in ponds and direct burial, as well as burning and incineration. The suitability of these techniques, taking into account legal constraints, availability of facilities, financial considerations and environmental implications are appraised for South African conditions. Recovery for re-use is the optimum disposal option, but the location of refineries in South Africa, the limited facilities available for oil recycling and the inability of the industries to cope with large quantities or contaminated oily waste limit the recovery application. Stabilisation of oily waste for disposal as landfill or for use in civil engineering works requires further investigation with the South African construction industry. Landfarming techniques are suitable for the disposal of large quantities of oily sand or sandy sludge, but careful site selection is required to limit environmental contamination. Co-disposal of oily waste with municipal refuse is only suitable for limited quantities of oily waste and will reduce the life of the landfill site. Direct burial or burning of oily waste are shown to be environmentally unsuitable options, but under certain conditions they may provide the only practical solutions. Facilities for incineration of oily waste are limited in South Africa. The study shows that there is no easy solution to the disposal of large quantities of oily sludge. A combination of disposal methods will need to be used. Treatment of the oily sludge, for example emulsion breaking or separation will reduce the volumes, but costs could be prohibitive. A strategy is developed to provide the decision maker with a framework within which the decision process towards finding the correct solution for the disposal of oily waste following an oil spill off the South African Coast can be undertaken.
Open Access
An environmental evaluation procedure for coastal township and resort development proposals in South Africa
(1994) Sowman, Merle Rozanne; Fuggle, Richard Francis
Most coastal nations recognise the environmental, economic and educational value of their coastal zones. Consequently, they have developed integrated management programmes and employ a variety of strategies, in particular, Environmental Impact Assessment, to promote the sustainable use and development of these resource- rich areas. In South Africa, the absence of a formal, holistic and systematic procedure for evaluating proposals that affect the coastal environment is identified as one of the main causes of coastal degradation. The Integrated Environmental Management Procedure, developed in 1992, provides a generic framework within which the planning and evaluation of proposals, significantly affecting the environment can be made. Further development of more detailed procedures, practical guidelines and tools for specific activities or in particular environments, is now urgently required. The central aim of this dissertation is to develop an environmental evaluation procedure for coastal township and resort development proposals, consistent with the principles of Integrated Environmental Management, and appropriate to the conditions in a developing country, such as South Africa. The proposed procedure addresses key weaknesses inherent in most Environmental Impact Assessment systems in developing countries and incorporates and builds upon relevant Coastal Zone Management strategies operative in South Africa. Furthermore, it seeks to unpack and clarify the Environmental Impact Assessment concept by identifying its underlying principles, clarifying procedural requirements and making operational the processes which characterise it. To assist with implementation, a variety of tools and a series of practical guidelines have been developed. The key features of the procedure were derived from an extensive literature review, an examination of the environmental evaluation and coastal management systems operating in South Africa, a questionnaire survey amongst coastal managers, and from case study material. Action research informed ideas for making operational the processes of scoping and public participation. Particular attention was given to identifying and developing appropriate methods and guidelines for identifying impacts, determining impact significance, involving the public, assessing recreational carrying capacity, clarifying trade-offs amongst alternatives, marrying expert opinion and local experiential knowledge and incorporating subjective value judgements into the assessment and decision-making processes. It is submitted that the employment of this procedure to all proposals affecting the coastal zone and the establishment of the proposed institutional mechanisms for its implementation, will streamline and enhance existing coastal management efforts and give direction to the further development and implementation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management programme for South Africa.
Open Access
An environmental evaluation system in the planning process of quarries in South Africa
(1985) Hoogervorst, Arend; Fuggle, Richard Francis
The historical framework and background to the process of approving quarries for construction materials in South Africa is examined in depth. In order to produce a proposed Environmental Evaluation System for the assessment of quarries in South Africa, the interrelationships of Quarries and the Environment are briefly examined philosophically. Environmental Impact terminology and Environmental Impact Assessment methodologies, techniques and procedures are also discussed.
Open Access
Environmental lead exposure among inner-city Cape Town children : a study of associated risk factors
(1988) Von Schirnding, Yasmin Elizabeth Roberta; Fuggle, Richard Francis
Risk factors for lead exposure among children in South Africa have not been well documented. This study elucidated important factors which co-vary with lead in increasing children's risk of exposure. Two study designs were used. First, a cross-sectional analytical study involving first grade school children was executed. Venous blood samples from children were analysed for lead using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In addition other haematological and anthropometric measurements were conducted. A pre-tested questionnaire administered to parents identified risk factors for lead exposure. Statistical analyses, including log-linear models, were used to determine the relationships between biological, environmental, social factors and blood lead. In an environmental study, daily air and dust samples were collected over a year from several sites in the study area, contemporaneously with the blood and questionnaire surveys. Spatial and temporal variations in atmospheric lead were determined. In stage two a case control study was carried out to determine whether risk factors for lead exposure differed among cases (blood lead ≥ 24 ug/dl) and controls (blood lead ≤ 14 ug/dl). Levels of lead in air, water, paint and dust samples from children's homes were determined and the state of housing evaluated. Home interviews were conducted with parents to assess the role of economic, demographic, cultural, and behavioural factors in increasing children's risk. 13% of coloured children, but no white children were identified with blood lead levels ≥ 25 ug/dl. Air lead levels ranged from< 0.5 ug/m³ to> 1.5 ug/m³ and dust lead levels from< 550 ppm to> 3 000 ppm. Environmental lead levels were significantly elevated near heavy traffic, particularly during winter months. Baseline exposure was of significance in influencing blood lead levels of children attending schools in direct proximity to heavy traffic, where blood lead levels were elevated. In cases, direct inhalation of aerosols, and ingestion of lead in water were not found to be important risk factors. Hand contamination and mouthing were associated with increased risk. Sources of elevated lead were found in the homes of both cases and controls, but were not accessible in the homes of controls. A conceptual framework for lead exposure in children is proposed, to illustrate how social and environmental factors may act to increase risk. The results have implications for primary and secondary prevention strategies aimed at the community.
Open Access
An environmental profile of the water sector of the Erongo region, Namibia
(1997) Jadav, Manish; Fuggle, Richard Francis
The aim of this dissertation is to is to provide an environmental overview of the water sector in the study area of the Erongo region. Water is a very scarce resource in the study area and has been singled out to be the greatest obstacle to the development of the study area. As such, this study was developed to assist the identification of the various critical issues affecting the water sector. This study was agreed upon by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia with the help of funding from DANCED. The study is the follow up of an environmental baseline report on the Erongo region in Namibia. The baseline report was commisioned to gather data on the region which would assist the creation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. This baseline report was undertaken by the whole MPhil class as a group exercise. Individual dissertations were then carried out by the members of the Mphil class. The students had to choose topics that were relevant to the study area. This study is one of these dissertations. The study was guided by the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management and the need to be of use in the planning process for water resource utilisation in the study area. To achieve this, the Integrated Environment Management theory is used together with the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management. This will ensure that the study * Uses a broad definition of the environment so as to identify all key opportunities and constraints of the water sector. * Would help towards the creation of a plan to manage the water sector in order to optimise the benefits of the sector while at the same time minimising or mitigating the financial, environmental and social costs. The study aims to identify the critical environmental impacts of the water sector in the study area. These impacts are then assessed but not evaluated.