1. Transboundary Aquifer Management Obligations
Critical Review of South Africa’s National Groundwater Monitoring network – Implications to
Transboundary Aquifer Management Obligations
*K F Netili , K Majola, S Mndaweni , K Pietersen , J Odiyo

2. Status quo groundwater monitoring in South Africa
DWS has mandate to protect, use, develop, conserve, monitor, manage and control South Africa’s water resources in an integrated manner (NWA 1998;NWRS2)
South Africa currently has 10 national water resources monitoring programmes managed by DWS and other institutions
The national groundwater network (NGMP) provides baseline, status (up to near-real-time) and historical trend reporting of water resources in support of four key strategic monitoring objectives
The NGMP covers almost 95% area of the country
Monitoring Programme
Purpose
Measurement
Manager
Groundwater Quality
Trend and spatial variation
412 (328) monitoring stations
DWS
Groundwater Quantity (Levels)
Trend and status of aquifer
2233 (2076) monitoring stations
Rainwater Quality (and depth)
Rainfall depths, intensities and hydrogeochemistry characteristics at specific sites
100 stations

3. Distribution of Active GW Monitoring Network
Active GW Level Stations in TBAs (116)
Active GQ Level Stations in TBAs (46)

4. Redesign of the national groundwater monitoring network
The current groundwater monitoring network coverage is skewed and inconsistent
DWS embarked on reconfiguration of the network from
First step - The spatial design of an “ideal” theoretical network (as if nothing existed)
The recent review used spatial density criteria which allowed for the incorporation of best-practices; hydrogeological information and expert knowledge. The methodology comprised the following steps:
Define monitoring objectives;
Develop optimal positioning criteria;
Decide on monitoring parameters and frequency.

5. Theoretical Monitoring Network Configuration
Groundwater monitoring network design methodologies
Statistical methods
Detailed hydrogeological information
Combination of both methods
Hydrogeological approach
Spatial density criteria based approach
Incorporation of best-practices (International and national)
Hydrogeological information
Expert knowledge

6. SA TBAs Extent
9 TBAs
Lithology: Coastal Sedimentary, Rhyolite_Breccia, Karoo and Dolomite
Few active monitoring stations
Few studied, less data available

7. South Africa’s TBAs

8. Rationale for extending monitoring network to TBA
United Nations General Assembly unanimously, agreed to Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the Agenda) in September 2015
SDG Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.
Indicator 6.5.2: Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
Revised SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses on 7 August 2000
Agreement for the Establishment of the River Basin Organisations (i.e. ORASECOM, LIMCOM,ETC).
The spatial distribution of monitoring networks is not adequate in some cases such that the necessary portions of the TBA to be reported on are either not or partially covered.
Currently, there are no cooperation agreements pertaining specifically to transboundary aquifers in the SADC region.
To abide by groundwater data sharing and management protocols in reporting to the SDG requirements.

9. Principles for proposed network
Evaluation of the status quo of groundwater provision and shortcomings in South Africa’s National Water Policy
Theoretical monitoring network design explicitly considers the need for monitoring to support the management of transboundary obligations
Recommendations made for the specialised monitoring programmes are integrated with the national implementation plan such that mandates do not overlap and roles and responsibilities are clear

10. Design criteria
Existing groundwater monitoring activities evaluated against an independent theoretical network based on international accepted densities of groundwater monitoring networks.
Data inventory – NGA,HYDSTRA,WMS
Data integrity assessment (indicators: Equipment, Data records, Analysis & Audit, Frequency, Data record length, etc)
Site positions were determined using the integrated site positioning criteria and available national spatial data as outlined below:
The localities for transboundary aquifers.
Spatial data sets (Vegter regions, GRAII,Landcover,etc)

11. Distribution of Active GW Monitoring Network in TBAs

12. Features of the current groundwater monitoring network in selected TBAs – Khakhea/Bray Dolomite Aquifers
Groundwater Monitoring
Quality (1)
Levels (22)
Challenges
Actual abstraction volumes (metering)
Integrated/Tra nsboundary water level monitoring (both Botswana & RSA)
Rainfall monitoring (limited)
Distribution of GW Level Monitoring Stations

13. Features of the current groundwater monitoring network in selected TBAs – Stampriet Aquifer System
Distribution of GW Level Monitoring Stations
Distribution of GW Quality Monitoring Stations
Groundwater Monitoring
Quality (2)
Levels (1)
Challenges
Actual abstraction volumes (metering needed)
Integrated/Transb oundary water level monitoring (Botswana, Namibia & RSA)
Rainfall monitoring (very limited)
Still little or no time series data on relevant variables
Data limited and unequally spread over the area
In order to support informed decision-making for managing STAS groundwater resource, first priority is establishing and operating aquifer-wide monitoring networks (UNESCO-IHP, 2016)
There are very few groundwater quality data points in the southern parts, and no information at all in case of the Nossob (deep Karoo) aquifer

14. Theoretical Baseline Sites

15. Conclusion TBA spatial design workshop
Water quantity and quality – network description constituents and frequencies
Site visits, ground explorations, surveys and various other investigations to confirm the locations of all proposed monitoring sites
Capital and O&M costs must be determined
Highly productive sources (high rainfall areas, high-yielding aquifer systems, high recharge systems, etc.) should be prioritised
Protocols for the identification of new sites must be developed to ensure proper integration into the existing monitoring network

16. Thank You