Good news: rains
raise Lake St Lucia
levels
Before
In mid-2006, Wetland
Authority members
were able to walk
across Catalina Bay
After
Following super
summer rains in the
Lake St Lucia
region, water
totally covers the
same section of
Catalina Bay
Dave
Savides
THE level of Lake
St Lucia has risen
considerably in the
past month, and
authorities are
praying that heavy
downpours predicted
for the remainder of
the summer come to
pass.
With rainfall since
mid December topping
300mm over the Lake,
the surface area has
increased from 10
per cent to about 45
per cent.
‘This has made it
possible for a few
boats to be launched
from Charters Creek,
the first in a long
time,’ said Andrew
Zaloumis, CEO of the
Wetland Authority.
‘Also, some of the
localised streams
have flowed into the
system and the
run-off from the
dunes on the Eastern
Shores has
increased, topping
up the fresh water
pans on the Cape
Vidal coastal plain
and feeding the Lake
itself.
‘The flow from the
dunes has been
enhanced by the
removal of nearly 7
800ha of pine
plantations by the
Wetland Authority
from the Eastern
Shores of Lake St
Lucia.
‘On the Western
Shores the removal
of nearly 8 000ha of
plantations is
nearing completion
and the Mpate River
is flowing more
strongly into the
Narrows,’ said
Zaloumis.
‘The Lake system has
now re-connected all
the basins,
including the
Narrows and False
Bay for the first
time in two years.
‘Salinities are
fairly low
throughout, due to
the freshwater
inflows and the
heavy flooding of
the Umfolozi River
into the Narrows via
channels above
Honeymoon Bend.’
Positive
predictions
More rains will
hopefully bring
significant run-off
from the hinterland
to get major rivers
such as the Hluhluwe
and Mkhuze
continuing to
contribute
substantially to
improved Lake
levels.
‘The Mkhuze River is
already flowing very
strongly and is
slowly filling up
the 10 000ha Mkhuze
Swamp - a huge area
that has been
parched for at least
five years,’ said
Zaloumis.
‘It will take a lot
of water to saturate
the swamp but once
this has taken place
we will see a
significant
improvement as the
filtered water
enters the Lake at
the north.
‘Hopes that the Lake
will fill to the
point where it can
flow strongly into
the sea are still
distant. However,
with the SA Weather
Service predicting a
chance of 25 per
cent above normal
rainfalls, relief
from the drought is
in sight.
‘The raised levels
have improved
conditions for
crocodiles and
hippos which are now
able to move back
into areas
previously dry and
parched - and with
them go much
increased bird
activity along the
lake edges,’ said
Zaloumis.
