NAME
The Crocodile Catchment Operations Committee (CROCOC) PREAMBLE
The Crocodile River Real Time Operations Decision Support System (DSS) is a real time DSS for operating the Crocodile River. The development of the DSS framework and the system annual allocation model has been done by DWA with input from the ICMA through Project Number WP 9429: A Real-Time Operating Decision Support System (DSS) for the Crocodile East River System. This operations Committee has been established as a central requirement in the procedures and processes to implement and operate the real time DSS.
The Crocodile East River system is an international river system flowing from South Africa into Mozambique. The only control structure on the main stem of the river is the Kwena Dam, some 250 km upstream of the Mozambique Border. Kwena Dam only captures the runoff from about 10% of the Crocodile East System. Most rainfall occurs downstream of this dam and so the majority of the available water is “run of river” i.e. dependant on incremental runoff that comes directly from rainfall, rather than from dam releases. While demand for water is consistently high, rainfall volume – and therefore water supply – is highly variable and the system is vulnerable to severe water use restrictions.
The DSS and CROCOC are designed, within this context, to provide sufficient water to serve the users and the development goals, without compromising the integrity of the resource or our international obligations.
Implementation of the DSS and a functional Committee will provide DWA, the ICMA and stakeholders with an excellent opportunity to create new interactive spaces where stakeholders can generate a holistic shared understanding for management of the Crocodile catchment.
OVERVIEW OF DSS
The DSS comprises hardware as well as software.
The hardware consists of stream flow gauging stations, rainfall gauges, water abstraction meters and telemetry. These must all be reliable. The CROCOC should advise on improvements and issues regarding the hardware.
The software serves two purposes: long-term planning and day-to-day operations. The former takes into account climatic predictions, volumes of water in Kwena dam and river flow to generate annual expectations of water availability and potential restrictions. The day-to-day component uses short- term rainfall and runoff monitoring, rainfall predictions and flow data, to anticipate how much water will be available for abstraction over periods of days or weeks, and along which stretches of the river it will be available. Thus, the DSS feeds data to the stakeholders and relevant decision making authorities as defined in the National Water Act (DWA, ICMA, WUA’s) to enable them to make informed decisions about dam releases, abstractions and restrictions according to addendum B. The
CROCOC will assist the decision making authorities by facilitating this informed and consensus driven decision making.
The DSS will provide the flow hydrograph for releases that will satisfy the water quantity demand schedules at the different locations and times along the Crocodile East water system on a short term (Daily or weekly) basis while ensuring compliance with the long term operational rules determined annually and reviewed quarterly to ensure the correct assurance of the specified water supply to all users along the main stem of the Crocodile East River. The result will be a much refined time scale for system operations that better informs water users of the volume of water available and when when, to ensure efficient, equitable and sustainable use while still meeting international obligations.
OBJECTIVE
The CROCOC is a consultative technical advisory body managed by the ICMA which provides the mechanism for interaction, exchange of operational information and coordination of operational activities for the Crocodile East River System. The CROCOC serves the relevant decision making authorities as defined in the National Water Act (DWA, ICMA, WUA) to enable them to perform informed and consensus driven decision making.
An Addendum to this TOR - Addendum A – lists the main information and decision requirements on an annual, bi-annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly basis and must be maintained/updated by the relevant decision making authorities and made available to the CROCOC.
Although the CROCOC has no decision making powers under current legislation, its role as a coordinating and advisory body is exceptionally important in the broader decision making process of IWRM as defined in the National Water Act. This TOR is designed to enable the members of CROCOC to play their part in pioneering the process of informed consensus decision making that will lead to greater equity, efficiency and sustainability of water use. The ICMA will operate the DSS on an agency basis to assist DWA and will thus run the models to produce the required information.
The CROCOC should develop a decision/discussion/consensus seeking approach with the DWA, ICMA and WUA, that is appropriate to the task at hand and compatible with Strategic Adaptive Management as used by the ICMA. The DSS and CROCOC should be transparent and adapt as we learn more about the process.
Addendum B to this Terms of Reference outlines the communications and decision lines around the CROCOC.
AREA OF OPERATION
The Area of Operations for the DSS and the Committee will initially be the main stem of the Crocodile East River System downstream of the Kwena Dam until the confluence with the Komati River immediately upstream of the International Border with Mozambique.
In future it is intended to expand the area of operation step by step to include all tributaries of the entire Crocodile East River Catchment upstream of the confluence with the Komati River.
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
The CROCOC will be a technical committee of the Responsible Authority.
The ICMA will provide the Secretariat and Chairperson for the CROCOC.
MEMBERSHIP
The membership of CROCOC is intended to comprise the main roleplayers within the Crocodile River catchment directly involved in the management of the river flows and related water uses.
Each organisation indicated below should have a member and an alternative, the names of who must be provided to the CROCOC in writing. In addition, each organisation to a meeting may include up to two observers or advisors. Membership is standing and Organisations can propose new members or changes of membership to the CROCOC.
The members below may be represented by delegation through agreement by the CROCOC.
Members must be involved directly with water management on the Crocodile and be readily available for and committed to attend all meetings accordance to membership status.
Core Members:
Proposed Member
ICMA Chair Brian Jackson
Secretary ICMA I&P Division
ICMA I&P Division Diketso Khaile
ICMA River Operations Division Sipho Magagula
(observer: Thabo Mahlobo)
DWA WRPS Celiwe Ntuli
(observer: Ronqui Cai)
DWA Mpumalanga (Nelspruit) Johann van Aswegen
(observer: Sydney Nkuna)
DWA Infrastructure Branch William Matsabe
(observer: Amos Mtsweni)
Crocodile Irrigation Board: Chair Dawie van Rooi
Technical Willie du Toit
Andre van der Merwe
Kruger National Park Eddie Ridell
(observers: Robin Pietersen &
Jacques Venter)
Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency Francious Roux
Mpumalanga Dept. Agriculture Engineering services Marius van Rooyen
Silulumanzi Yolande van Staden
Mbombela Municipality Technical Services Dolphin Malokela Nkomazi Municipality Technical Services Dumisani Mzolo Advisors:
DWA NWRP Neil van Wyk
KOBWA: Sidney Dlamini
Ara-Sul Erucio de Braz Macacau
ICMA Marketing Sylvia Machimane
DWA RDM Barbara Weston
Ehlanzeni District Municipality Rodney Mhlongo
White River Valley Conservation Board Debbie Turner
Kaap River Major Irrigation Board Cas Du Preez
Sand River Irrigation Board Barry Carlse
Elands River Water Users Association Andre van Tonder
Stads River Johan smuts
Nels River
Consultants: Short Term model Mehari Frezghi
Long Term Model Stephen Mallory Tendai Sawuyama
MEETING PROCEDURES
The CROCOC will initially meet on a monthly basis and will move to quarterly meetings over time or as decided by the meeting.
The ICMA will convene the meetings and advise the members of the date, time and venue for each meeting at least 7 days in advance.
The ICMA will appoint a chairperson for the meetings and provide the secretariat.
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
The members will carry their own costs for traveling, disbursements, subsistence, time spent at meetings and in preparation for meetings.
The ICMA will provide the venue.
AMENDMENT OF TERMS OF REFERENCE
The CROCOC may propose amendments to the Terms of Reference in writing to all members via the secretariat. The decision to change the TOR rests with the Relevant Authority through advice from the CROCOC.
ADDENDUM A: INFORMATION AND DECISION REQUIRMENTS:
ANNUALLY
INFORMATION NEEDS DECISIONS REQUIRED
-Previous Year Water Use vs. Order -Annual Water Allocations
-Water Orders & Distribution- current year -Probability & Magnitude of Restrictions on Allocation
-Forecast of expected conditions -History of Previous Decisions -Dam, River & Rainfall Levels & compare to
history
-Discuss / Review Operating Rules -Scenarios (reserve, IIMA, new dams, WCDM,
all towns strategies)
-Learning Strategy, reflection -Bio Physical TPC info
-Learning: Technical, social, sustainability, economic
-Reflection/Evaluation of progress with new system
-and change/adaptations required
-Impact of Reserve implementation on River Health
-On track to longer-term plan/target for Reserve implementation
QUARTERLY
INFORMATION NEEDS DECISIONS REQUIRED
-Water Orders and Use -Review of Prevailing Catchment conditions -Prevailing Catchment conditions -Review Restriction Levels on allocations -Dam, River & Rainfall Levels & compare to
predictions
-Review Restriction Levels on dams -Forecast of expected conditions -Check implementation of annual decisions -Dam, River & Rainfall Levels & compare to
history
-Review monitoring, TPC refinements, -management action potential
-Scenarios
-Check points on Bio-physical TPCs -Status of water quality and trends
-
MONTHLY
INFORMATION NEEDS DECISIONS REQUIRED
-Water Orders and Use (demands) -Review of Prevailing Catchment conditions -Report Back on Weekly operations, actions,
decisions etc.
-Review Long term model output
-Prevailing Catchment Conditions -Review year-to-date Water Use vs Order
-Dam Levels -Review Demands
-Possible Restriction Scenarios -Probable Dam releases
-Data and information Exchange
-International Obligation implementation -Reserve Status
WEEKLY / DAILY
INFORMATION NEEDS DECISIONS REQUIRED
-Prevailing Conditions (flows, rainfall, releases, restrictions, levels, trajectories, reserve benchmark etc.)
-Dam Releases
-Short Term Forecast of expected conditions -Short term restrictions on users -Short term water demands
-Communications regarding decisions and actions
-When to invoke the rapid response system within KNP: Worry levels
ADDENDUM B: INFORMATION AND DECISION LINES:
STAKEHOLDERS WATER USERS
WUA
Crocodile River Operations Committee (CROCOC) Crocodile River Forum