Georg Caspary of Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris which is the research institute of Groupe d'Economie Mondiale and also  a leading French public policy economic think tank, has fielded a number of questions for the LHDA’s attention. The research focuses on the integration of social and environmental safeguards in the financing of large dam projects.

Question 7: What monitoring programmes are in place (e.g Water Resources monitoring program, Monitoring of resettled population..)

 Answer 7  :   Monitoring programmes in place

a)       Water Resources Monitoring  : Collection of hydrological, meteorological

Data from designated monitoring stations at field level.  The monitoring is effected to confirm information on status of the resources in respect of consistency of precipitation being received with time, quantity and quality and availability. Evaluation of data collection is done  in consultation with the Department of Water Affairs  (DWA) and the Lesotho  Meteorological Services (LMS).

 The two countries have agreement over hydrological data that drives the reservoir operations in relation to Hydropower generation as well water balances in respect of water transfer schedules to South Africa and for environmental flow requirements downstream of the dams.

b)       Dam Safety Monitoring:  Instrumentation installed in the bellows of the dam structures are recording daily behavioural patterns of the structures for to ensure compliance of capacity designs and to detect possible departures from expected standard behaviour.

An Emergency Preparedness Programme (EPP) is also in place to advise the general public on flooding  incidences from normal reservoir overfilling and for the purpose of scouring river channels downstream. Communities living downstream are given repeated messages a week in advance of the flooding, during flooding and at least two more days after the flooding incidence.

c)       Soil Conservation and Water Management- This programme is under the Integrated Catchment Management (ICM). A consultant  (Snowy Mountains Environmental Consultants –SMEC- of Australia) is engaged to collect the data for informed decision making. The public will be advised on effective soil erosion management practices as well management of water. The Consult will work in coordination with local governance structures.

d)       Monitoring for Biological Resources : The programme will establish changes in the flora and fauna in the highlands against the benchmark of baseline background data.  A Consultant has been appointed to undertake jthis enormous exercise that will determine changes in ecological status on land and in the aquatic environment.

This monitoring programme has led to the establishment of preservation and conservation initiatives as follows: 

Ts’ehlanyane National Park :  Over 5600hectares of extremely rugged mountain terrain is protected within this park, which includes one of the very few indigenous woodlands in Lesotho. Some of the finest examples of Leucosidea sericea, Outhout or in vernacular, Cheche, woodlands are preserved in the area, with a number of undergrowth plants that are unique to this woodland habitat. On the banks of the rivers and streams are stands of berg bamboo, which beside being of significant cultural significance to the Basotho people, provide a habitat for the endangered butterfly species, Metisella syrinx. The reserve also encompasses a reasonable proportion of mountain “fynbos” with a high degree of endemism. 

Bokong nature reserves: Comprises 1970 ha and straddles the northern access road at the top of the Mafika –Lisiu pass between Pitseng and Ha Lejone on the way to Katse dam. At more than 3000 metres above sea level, the reserve is one on the highest in reserves in Africa. 

It contains extensive afro-alpine wetlands in the sources of Bokong river and Lepaqoa stream as well as vast grasslands. Limited areas of heathlands are conserved in the boulder beds. There are excellent opportunities to view thebearded vulture and a number of bird species endemic to the afro-alpine zone. Reasonable populations of the vaal rheebuck still occure on the plateau grass and heatlands. The whole area abounds with colonies of endemic ice rat, which is heavily predated by all the small and medium mammalian carnivores and avarian raptors in the area.

Liphofung cultural and historic site

The Liphofung “place of the eland” cave occupies an important place in Lesotho. This is the smallest of the LHDA reserves at about 4 hectares. The cave is in fact a large overhang in the Clarens sandstone, which is a typical feature of the Lesotho lowlands region. Originally used by the San and other Stone Age people, the walls contain important rock art and a rich archeological deposity of Stone Age implements occurs on the floor. Later, King Moshoeshoe “the Great” used the cave as a stopover when visiting that part of the kingdom.

e)       Water Quality  Monitoring:  Is undertaken for both rivers (upstream and downstream) and the LHWP reservoirs to inform on status of the water quality from receiving runoff from the catchment areas. The inform serves to inform on appropriate mitigation measures that need to be engaged in the catchment to ward off ingress of pollutants into rivers and reservoirs in an effort to maintain the LHWP’s competitive edge as a water development project.

f)        In-stream Flow Requirements (IFR) Monitoring: This entails monitoring of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, biophysical and socio-economic aspects to gain information on the extent of impact of reduced river morphology and to intitute appropriate mitigation measures. Already, communities living in on either side of the 5km stretch of the river reaches, have been awarded compensation totaling to M27million for resource losses suffered through changed and reduced river hydraulics. This is effected in the understanding that there are anticipated ecological conditions including livelihoods of  the riparian  communities. A consultancy study to execute the monitoring function is expected to commence in August, 2005.

g)       Monitoring of housing structures for resettled population : Ad hoc in house inspections of the population has been on-going in the last two years to carry out inspections on houses for any possible structure related faults. This is called a sweep operation where extensive scrutiny of the household is undertaken with households. The LHDA and the Owners agree on areas that need to be attended. In the end of the repair operations, the owner signs off to as proof of work done. 

h)       Socio-economic Monitoring: A consultancy, LHDA Contract 1204, is in place to determine whether the implementation of the various aspects of the Environmental Action Plan has actually lived up to the objective of ensuring that the standard of living of those directly affected by the Project, has been maintained and/or improved. 

 i)        HIV/AIDS Monitoring : This is being undertaken under a Consultancy to determine the residual  effect of the endemic after construction.

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