Environmental Impact
The following project activities give rise to environmental impacts:
- Civil works and infrastructure
- Construction works
- Irrigation system
- Operation
- Resettlement
Comprehensive Mitigation Plan
An environmental impact assessment study has been carried out. It is focusing on the establishment of a Comprehensive Mitigation Plan. This plan covers all mitigation measures of impacts on vegetation, wildlife, soils, water quantity and
quality, air quality, human health, recreation and cultural heritage, waste and fuelwood. Implementation of the proposed mitigation measures will commence at the start of the project and elements of a Comprehensive Mitigation Plan include:
- Project design
- Specifications for implementing contractors
- Participatory land use and management planning
- Training, extension, education and awareness campaigns
- Regulations and guidelines
- Social development investments
- Investments in the conservation of natural resources
- Information and communication
- Resettlement
- Investments at processing industries
- Environmental monitoring
The selected mitigation measures will be undertaken during the implementation of LUSIP. Selected mitigation measures
Phase
|
Mitigation Measure
|
Before
start
of LUSIP |
- Water quality analysis to obtain information about the current quality of Usuthu River
- Initiation of water quality monitoring
- Initiation of preservation of endangered vegetation.
- Identification of areas with high risk of erosion and exact determination of protection measures
- Start of epidemiological survey
- Resettlement of homesteads and relocation of livestock
- Archaeological survey
|
During
construction phase
of LUSIP |
- Follow up of preservation of endangered vegetation.
- Follow up of epidemiological survey
- Consideration of minimum flow of 10% of Mhlathuzane river
- Measures for construction camp
- Provision of escape points along main canal
- Consideration of white water rafting at weir
|
During
operation
of LUSIP |
- Water quality monitoring at Usuthu River up- and downstream of the project
- Monitoring of use of agrochemicals
- Application of erosion control measures
- Control of overgrazing in the hinterland
- Training in application and disposal of agrochemicals
|
|
