Towards an Action Plan for enhanced resilience and IWRM through collaborative governance and management of water-related ecological infrastructure for the City of Mbombela, Crocodile River Catchment (EDM).

The aim of the proposed work was to contribute to enhanced water governance arrangements for mitigating water quality deterioration and impacts through planning for ecosystem-based adaptation in the Crocodile Catchment with a focus on the City of Mbombela (CoM) footprint within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM).

The CoM falls within the Crocodile Catchment and since upstream activities affect water resources downstream, the whole Crocodile Catchment is included in the analysis and plan (Figure to the Left), highlighting for partners the importance of catchments in terms of water resources management. The catchment is part of the wider InKomati Catchment and transboundary Incomati Basin shared with eSwatini and Mozambique. The CoM also falls within the wider Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM) and although this plan does not cover the whole district in terms of the analyses, much of what is recommended can reasonably be adopted more widely. The action plan is intended to contribute to enhanced governance and management across a number of spheres: by improving the management of water-related ecosystems (wetlands, rivers, and riparian zones in this case), one is mitigating the decline in water quality and availability of ecosystem services (such as potable water, water for cropping and livestock watering, recreation and other uses) and hence improving peoples’ health, livelihoods and well-being. Improving the management of water-related ecosystems also reduces the impacts of risks and disasters such as pollution, floods, droughts and climate change, and promotes improved spatial planning. The plan emphasises the need to work with different sectors including water resources management, water services, regulation, spatial planning, natural resources management, climate change, health and disaster education, agriculture as well as advocacy. The Action Plan was developed using a Strategic Adaptive Management Framework. It comprises and agreed upon vision for water-related EbA and seven strategic priorities. Each of these priorities is supported by actions. Again – at the request of key partners – it must be stressed that actions that were considered to be implementable given the current resources were prioritised. The collaboratively-derived vision for EbA for the CoM and Crocodile River Catchment is shown below using the SAM framework.

 

Resources

 

Draft Action Plan

– AWARD

The Action Plan was developed using a Strategic Adaptive Management Framework. It comprises and agreed upon vision for water-related EbA and seven strategic priorities

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Key policies and plans

– AWARD

An analysis of key policies and plans was undertaken at project inception

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Human health risk assessment

– AWARD

Understanding key threats and risks that could potentially be mitigated by EbA.

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Governance mapping and analysis of practices related to water quality and health

– AWARD

An in-depth analysis of the roles and functions pertaining to EbA and the practices related directly or indirectly to EbA and climate change (water quality-health) within the IUCMA, the City of Mbombela (CoM), Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM) and Silulumanzi.

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EbA tool

– AWARD

An interactive, web-based tool has been developed which allows stakeholders to explore water-related ecosystems and their broader socio-ecological context.

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Reviews and research for resource sheets

– AWARD

A number of resource sheets have been produced as part of the Action Plan. These cover a range of topics related to EbA or to the COM that are not directly part of the Action Plan.    

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Understanding EbA through a systemic analysis of the role of EbA

– AWARD

Understanding the role of EbA systemically in relation to water quality threats

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Funded by: