CHAPTER 6: SOLUTIONS TO FLOOD RISK IN EMNAMBITHI/LADYSMITH LM AND THE VALUE OF
6.2. Stakeholders’ reflections on the use of hard engineering
6.2.1 Reflections on the awareness and use of the dam’s solutions
The Qedusizi flood control scheme shows the role that hard engineering plays in the construction and maintenance of flood management infrastructure in the town of Ladysmith. This is based on the construction of the dams, river embankment, installation of the storm water infrastructure, flap gates, bridges, and other well acknowledged built up plans aiming to address flash or riverine flooding (See Figure 6.1 below).
86 | P a g e Figure 6.1: Governance and Emergency Preparedness Plan to Resolve Flood Risks/disasters in Ladysmith Town (Source: DWAF, 1998a).
The use of hard engineering solutions is supported by the implementation of governance process as shown by the Ladysmith emergency preparedness plan. This plan shows that different strategies and plans are put in place in the event of flood disaster. For example, in scenario 1 where the dam basin get flooded; the emergency action involve the activation of the flood warning system such as sirens and radio, evacuate the citizens and properties under threat, rescue actions must be put into place, prevention of crime by the police, care and resettlement, mopping up, and record keeping. Scenario 2 caused by the flooding of Ladysmith as a result of burst of Klip River banks (1: 100 floods) and other abnormal conditions, various plans are activated depending on what caused the floods. For example, plan A (evacuation) is activated when the dam has failed whereas Plan B (Preparedness) is activated for instance with there are floods reaching to 1: 100. Plan C is based on uncertain conditions while
87 | P a g e plan C is based on the failure of levees and drainage system. Except for plan C that require only flood warning, the emergency action for all other types of floods in scenario 2 are the same as those in scenario 1. However, all plan A, B, C, and D of flood scenarios will not only need record keeping at the end on the floods but it will further require debriefing and review of the plan effectiveness. There are different actors responsible for these tasks and this is enshrined in the Qedusizi Dam: flood control scheme manual that is internal.
The discussion of stakeholders’ understanding of the use of hard engineering solutions play a crucial role in this research as it reveals tell us if the stakeholders know the existence of these solutions but also whether they support its use in flood risk management. The section below will first discuss the stakeholders’ awareness of the dam’s solutions, and their support and critiques levelled against the dams in Ladysmith. It further discusses the researcher’s own reflections and the recommendations based on the integration of EI.
While there is adequate awareness of the dam’s solutions in flood risk management in Ladysmith, Respondent 4: LG Stakeholder-Town Planning Section, (2015) cautioned that the dams are prone to fail as happened with Windsor Dam which silted up and became inefficient (see Chapter 3 on the background of the case study). Respondent 4 also mentioned that climate uncertainty will be a threat to the dams’ as a solution to flooding. This view was supported by Respondent 7: NG Stakeholder- Environmental Affairs (2015) who further clarified that “even though the dams are useful to attenuate flooding in Ladysmith but, one cannot run away from the fact the Ladysmith still demands more alternative solutions as the Klip River is still going to be tested in the face of uncertain climate change”.
Due to the ineffectiveness of Windsor Dam after the 1980s, Respondent 11: FT Community Stakeholder-Elder, (2015) proposed that there be a de-siltation of Windsor Dam so that it can help in reducing flood vulnerability and support the provision of water. However, he then stated that the municipality does not have adequate finances to desilt the dam, as now it has remained underutilized for many years. However, Respondent 6: LG Stakeholder-Disaster Management, (2015) argued that the Windsor Dam was poorly planned or designed, whereas the recent Qedusizi Dam is a well- designed dam.
There are also respondents who criticised single purpose dams [flood attenuation only] given the multiple challenges arising in the face of climate change. Even though they are important in terms of flood attenuation, single purpose dam infrastructure has been criticised for many reasons. Seeing the droughts, the needs of the poor agricultural communities in the municipality, and underutilisation of
88 | P a g e the single purpose flood attenuation dam structures, some stakeholders thought that the current single purpose dams (i.e. Qedusizi flood attenuation) be changed into a multipurpose use (i.e. serve the needs of the water scarce communities in the upper catchment stream or be used for recreational purposes) (Respondent 4: LG Stakeholder-Town Planning Unit, 2015., and Respondent 7: NG Stakeholder-Environmental Affairs, 2015).
Even though Respondent 7: NG Stakeholder-Environmental Affairs, (2015) stated that a flood attenuation dam can be used as a multi- purpose dam due to water scarcity in the municipality and the district, this did not imply that the current use of the dam (flood attenuation) is insignificant or it is not effective. However, the impression of his response was that in order to ensure flood resilience, the engineering solutions cannot be used alone as they are going to fail under the uncertainty presented by climate change. In addition, Respondent 4: LG Stakeholder-Town Planning Unit, (2015), also mentioned that it will be after further investigations and relevant feasibility studies in which his views can be verified in relation to the change of the dam’s use into a multi-purpose dam.
Despite these perceptions, there is another driver that influences change in practice. This is in terms of the Flood Control Scheme manual. Within this document, there is a section about the agreement between DWAF (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry) (recently changed to Department of Water and Sanitation) and the ELLC- Emnambithi/Ladysmith Local Council about the change of the functions of the Qedusizi Dam. According to the agreement between the ELLC and DWAF, it is clearly stated that in order to change the current use of the dam from single purpose (flood attenuation only) to multipurpose use, the municipality must write to the department and motivate the feasibility of the new dam ‘project’ based on detailed studies. Unfortunately, the binding responsibility of DWAF would cease, as the contract would terminate after the approval of the dam away from its primary function of solving the water disasters and flooding in Ladysmith (Flood Control Scheme cited in the DWAF, 1998a). This means that the ELLM will be responsible for the maintenance and other responsibilities of the dam and not DWAF. However, if the municipality has the capacity and strong need to change the use of the dam, they must do the studies and write the application requesting for approval from DWAF. Due to the failure of Windsor Dam, the change of land use of Qedusizi flood attenuation dam (and transfer of ownership of the dam) into a multipurpose dam use under the ELLM is not foreseeable in the near future due to complex reasons which includes the lack of capacity and to a lesser extent, the lack of finances.
89 | P a g e This section has revealed that even though Ladysmith stakeholders are aware of the threat caused by degrading EI, thereby causing more flood vulnerability, the stakeholders do not realise that an investment in EI such as catchment rehabilitation and the utilisation of vegetation buffers (either on site or beyond) can conserve soil before it reaches and accumulates in the dams. From this perspective, one realises that desilting is not addressing the core issue but is only dealing with the symptom (Bell and Mason, 1998). However, the investment in the value of EI at the catchment scale has the ability to reduce the silt and increase the lifespan of the dams as inappropriate activities will be monitored and regulated. This is the case as the press release stated that, “respecting the Wetland could have spared many lives” in the floods of 2011 in Ladysmith (WESSA/WWF Mondi Wetlands Programme, 2011). This indicates that intact wetlands and appropriate land use can play an important role in flood management such as dealing with siltation and soil erosion.