The 24th July 2024 marked the breaking of the record for the wettest month at the Steenbras Catchment Office (~1.2 km southwest of the N2 national road, just as one drives over the top of Sir Lowry’s Pass and Steenbras Dam), since rainfall records started at the office in January 1970 (about 55 years ago).…
The International Association for Impact Assessment South Africa (IAIAsa) are hosting their annual conference from the 27th to the 30th of August in Rustenburg North West, where the theme is ‘From roar to revolution: Unleashing the future of IEM’. Some of our team at Umvoto will be presenting at this conference. Gemma Bluff (Senior Climatologist),…
The “Refinement of Strategic Groundwater Source Areas (SWSA-gw) in South Africa” project builds upon the foundational studies conducted by the Water Research Commission (WRC) in 2013 and 2018, which established the importance of strategic water source areas for the nation’s water security (see Figure 1). Umvoto, appointed as the Professional Service Provider (PSP), aims to…
Find out about what our team got up to during 2023 in our annual newsletter!
South Africa is a water scarce country receiving an average annual rainfall of less than 500 mm, falling well below the global average of 850 mm. Rising populations, climate change, and the current electricity crisis are placing increased pressure on the country’s limited water resources. Without intervention, a national water shortage is imminent, the effects…
The 25th September 2023 marks eight years since the world embraced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 17 goals that guide humanity to a more sustainable world by 2030. To showcase how Umvoto are working together for the SDGs, this year we are taking part in the SDG Flag Campaign with the Global Compact Network South…
On Monday 18th September Umvoto staff led a field trip day for the International Association of Hydrogeologists 50th Worldwide Groundwater Congress for an international audience showcasing the City of Cape Town’s New Water Programme groundwater projects. Three excursions took place, the first to Atlantis was led by Senior Hydrogeologist Kobus Prinsloo to present the Atlantis…
At Umvoto protecting biological diversity is a core principle that informs all of our work. As groundwater and surface water are integral components of the hydrosphere, the use of groundwater can potentially have impacts on the flora and fauna in groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) such as spring/seep-related wetlands. Once Umvoto identifies and delineates a GDE, a…
Protecting our precious resource: The importance of groundwater on Earth Day Earth Day is a reminder of the vital role that our planet plays in sustaining life, and the responsibility we have to protect and conserve its natural resources. Among these resources, groundwater stands out as a critical component of Earth’s various ecosystems, as well…
Cape Town’s water shortage The City of Cape Town (CCT) experienced a severe water shortage between 2017 and 2018 (Figure 1) because of an extreme, once in 300-year meteorological drought that occurred between 2015-2017. This resulted in a lack of rainfall, specifically in the catchment areas of the major dams that supply the CCT, causing…
