Figure: Investigation of Mlondozi reservoir deposits (Photo: J. Baade)
Principal investigator: PD Dr. J. Baade
Duration of project: 01.08.2008 - 31.12.2008
Status: active
Financial support: Internationales Büro des BMBF beim DLR
Grant: SUA08/A02
Cooperation: South African National Parks (SANParks), Scientific Services, Skukuza
Summary
In the course of the water provisioning program about 50 earth dams had been constructed in the
Kruger National Park from the 1930ies to the 1990ies. Following a review of the water policy a
dam rehabilitation program is under way. This provides the exceptional opportunity to investigate
the sediments deposited during the life time of the reservoirs directly, to quantify their volume
and to estimate average soil loss in the catchment areas.
The objective of the proposed reconnaissance survey is to get an overview on
the amount and characteristics of the material deposited in rehabilitated reservoirs
and small and medium size seasonal reservoirs in different ecozones of the southern
and central district of the KNP.
The key questions to be answered are:
(1) What is the thickness of the sedimentary layer in the reservoirs?
(2) What are the characteristics of the sediment deposited in the reservoirs?
(3) Are the sediments deposited in the reservoirs suited for a reconstruction of sediment
transport dynamics with a high temporal resolution?
The reconnaissance survey took place in August / September 2008.
Student involvment
Two students were involved in the data analysis in Jena and compiled their thesis based on this involvment:
- Franz, S. (2009): GIS-basierte physisch-geographische Charakterisierung von Einzugsgebieten im Kruger Nationalpark,
Südafrika. unveröffentl. Wissenschaftl. Hausarbeit, Institut für Geographie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena.
(Erstbetreuer: PD Dr. J. Baade)
- Reichel, A. (2009): Untersuchungen an Stauseesedimenten aus dem Kruger Nationalpark Südafrika. unveröffentl.
Wissenschaftl. Hausarbeit, Institut für Geographie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena.
(Erstbetreuer: PD Dr. J. Baade)
Presentations
- Baade, J. (2009): Reservoir siltation in the Kruger National Park - A reconnaissance survey.
Poster presentation, 7th Savanna Science Network Meeting, Skukuza, South Africa, 19 - 24 April 2009.
- Baade, J., S. Franz & A. Reichel (2010): Spatial and temporal variation of reservoir siltation in selected ecozones of the Kruger National Park.
Results of the 2008 reconnaissance survey. Oral presentation, 8th Savanna Science Network Meeting, Skukuza,
South Africa, 7 - 12 March 2010.
- Baade, J., S. Franz & A. Reichel (2010): Reservoir siltation in the Kruger National Park -
Results of the 2008 reconnaissance survey. Oral presentation, Southern African Association of Geomorphologists (SAAG)
Biennial Conference: Landscape denudation or land degradation?
Interrogating the geomorphic processes of landscape change in South Africa, Grahamstown, South Africa, 2 - 5 September 2010,
- Baade, J. (2012): Sediment yield in the Kruger National Park, South Africa - A comparison.
Oral presentation, 10th Savanna Science Network Meeting, Skukuza,
South Africa, 3 - 9 March 2012.
- Baade, J. (2012): The remobilization of nutrients from reservoir deposits - A laboratory assessment.
Poster presentation, 10th Savanna Science Network Meeting, Skukuza,
South Africa, 3 - 9 March 2012.
- Baade, J., S. Franz & A. Reichel (2012):
Sediment yield in the Kruger National Park, South Africa - A comparison.
- 2012 Biennial Congress South African Association of Geomorphologists (SAAG), 8-11 September 2012, Gobabeb, Namibia (poster presentation).
Publications
- Baade, J., S. Franz & A. Reichel (2012): Reservoir siltation and sediment yield in the Kruger National Park,
South Africa – A first assessment. - Land Degradation and Development. [doi:10.1002/ldr.2173, available online 2012-06-26] 15 pp.
(external link)
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