Integrated Planning Branch (IPB)  News:                                                                           <<..back

Ts’ehlo arranges a workshop for the Integrated Catchment  Management (ICM) Consultants.

The acting IPB Manager, Mr. Thabang Chocho Ts’ehlo organised a half a day workshop on the 16^th June, 2005. Snowy Mountains Engineering Consultants (SMEC) have been awarded the  contract to implement the ICM study. 

The study objectives are to agree a Catchment Management Model that can effectively be implemented in all the Lesotho Highlands Water Project catchments, to ensure a well coordinated strategy of operation in instituting mitigation plans embodied in the Environmental Action Plan, (EAP). The ICM is hoped to be a cost effective implementation strategy and an all inclusive participation modus operandi.

 There are important challenges along the way especially regarding buy-in by the affected communities that can lead to the establishment of Catchment Authorities within the project sites.  

It is hoped that the newly established Local governance structures will help ensure the success of the ICM strategy.

 The workshop was the first in the series of discussion forums that will be held by the Consultants.

Downstream releases are effected down Katse dam

 1. 30-31May, 2005

1.5 million cubic meters of water was released from Katse low Level Outlets as part of second quarter release freshets.  The water was released at a rate of 12.6 cumecs for 33 hours starting at 08.00 on 30 May.

A further 26.5 cubic meters per second were releases

 during  30 June –2 July, 2005 to fulfill the instream

 flow requirements stipulated in the IFR Policy at the

 LHDA.

 A press release was issued in both events where

 communities living downstream of the dam were

 advised to use the river with great caution to avoid

 incidences of  unforseen threats to lives and

 property.

© Copyright: Lesotho Highland Water Project