Lake St. Lucia and the St. Lucia estuary systems are in real serious trouble. The 2017 GGEF Project has had many rather nasty knock on impacts. The major issues is that the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority appointed scientific team which was in place to manage the St. Lucia estuary and lake systems failed to consider the rather large silt volumes that come along for the ride when the Umfolozi river floods.
fresh water where there should be mixed marine water
These scientific teams were well aware that the Umfolozi River carries rather large silt loads, as this was well discussed in past estuary management plans. these highly educated folks, all with degrees and other high level education certification, chose to ignore the silt load within the Umfolozi river when it comes down in flood.
these scientific experts need to please explain... but we live in South Africa so ... ? what can be done ?
The 2016 / 2017 GEF project connected the Umfolozi River to the St. Lucia lake systems, by passing the Umfolozi flats and Mzunduzi flood zone silt traps. This was achieved by lowering the Umfolozi river inflow, ensuring that the flood waters did not slow down and drop out the major silt load in the southern and eastern flood plains of the Umfolozi River.
The end result is that the SILT WENT INTO LAKE ST. LUCIA and dropped out at a most inconvenient location. This silt dropped out at the same physical location with each flood event after the 2017 GEF project implementation this silt dropped out at the spot where the lake system joins the estuary tidal flow channel.. This problematic silt now acts as a rather nasty blockage within the estuary water-flow patterns, and denies access to tidal influences, ensuring that many marine fish species no longer have access to their breeding and nursery grounds. The long term impact f this is a rather serious decline in fish numbers all along the South African coastline.
The nasty silt blockage at the base end of the St. Lucia Narrows, where the lake ends and the tidal flow channel starts, reached incredible heights and is now about 2.5 meters (or more) above the spring tide high water level. I tried searching the iSimangaliso wetland Park Authority website at www.isimangaliso.com but this website is purely about tourism stuff and thus very UN-helpful.
there is apparently no entity tasked with measuring the silt levels and related water flow patterns.
we need some help to put true and nasty pressure on the minister to cometo the party and repair the damages created by the horrid and nasty mismanagement which has taken place under her watch. this should not be a SUPPRISE, cos there has been plenty of discussion about the JANUARY 2021 breaching of the St. Lucia estuary mouth by the St. Lucia community. Unfortuntely the minister is not doing anything about the #FISHBREEDING and nursery grounds within the ST. Lucia lake and estuary systems.
2hat to do ? comment and tell us your views.
#Frankie2Socks for the #4u2fish campaign.
read more at 4u2fish.blogspot.com
