The lake has experienced droughts before, but this time the factor that tipped the scales against the lake sustaining it’s water, was that no water reached the lake from the rivers as the small amount available was all used upstream.

Although required by the South African National Water Act No. 36 of 1998, no water reserve has been allocated to the catchment. This Act makes provision for water quality and quantity to be set aside to protect the ecological functioning of aquatic ecosystems before water users such as industry or agriculture can be authorized.

The key to balancing equity (some for all) with sustainability (for ever) lies in the new legal provisions in the Water Act of 1008 for the so-called “Reserve”. If all the water in the country could be put into a bucket, the “Reserve” is the water that must always be left in the bucket for basic human and ecological needs.

In the St. Lucia Catchment however, the extraction permit quotas have been based on an annual rainfall average and in dry times the same amount of water – if available – may be abstracted as in average rainfall times. Therefore during dry times, no water flows beyond extraction points such as dams and areas where commercial monoculture tree plantations have been established.

The life blood of the lake is all used upstream in it’s catchment and when there is low rainfall, no water at all reaches the lake! There is often a discrepancy between agricultural abstraction quotas and availability of water for the rural areas too. The historical redirection of rivers feeding Lake St. Lucia such as the Mkuze River and the Mfolozi River for agricultural purposes has also added to the problem.

Suni-Ridge Environmental Centre’s numerous letters concerning the water catchment management of our area, sent to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and copied to all sectors that are involved in catchment management such as KZN wildlife, led us to initiating the St. Lucia Water Catchment management forum that has been established together with DWAF.

This forum has participants from all sectors including conservation, agriculture, business, Urban and Rural representatives. Rob Cuthbertson is currently the Chairman.

False Bay Lake in 2007 – the lake is full again, but with sea water as the mouth opened. It’s not an ideal situation, but better than no water. Water management is one of the topics covered in the 5-day Young Environmental Ambassador’s Leadership Course.

© Map of Maputaland in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park is located in Maputaland, an ecological paradise on the north east coast of South Africa, and enjoys a greater biodiversity than any other area in the country.

“On the left is the sparkling Mozambique coast with the town of Ponta da Oura and on the right, the start of the most beautiful stretch of KwaZulu Natal coastal landscape. A series of lakes strung out like shimmering beads in necklace.

We had just flown across Tembe Elephant Park with its unique watery wilderness, spotting elephant and rhino at waterholes. And ahead of us is the Mkuzi Game Reserve, the up-market Phinda Reserve and the grandeur of the Lubombo Mountains with Swaziland on the other side.”

Jill Gowans, an environmental reporter for the Sunday Tribune, observed this while flying over the Maputaland region.

Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park is situated adjacent to False Bay Park, which is the northern basin of the great Lake St. Lucia. This magnificent lake is the nucleus of Maputaland and encompasses five distinctly different ecological zones.

Lake St. Lucia is the largest salt-water body in Africa. Our former South African president, Mr. Nelson Mandela, accredited the area as being one of the most important eco-tourism areas in South Africa, with a wealth of environmental diversity to be found nowhere else in the country. This area is significant worldwide as South Africa’s first World Heritage site.

False Bay was formed about 140 million years ago in the cretaceous area and rich fossil deposits in the area tell the story of the ancient beginnings of the lake system.

© View of False Bay in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Here the magnificent African lake forms a shimmering bay where the cry of a fish eagle echoes across the emerald green wilderness. Hippos and crocodiles can often be seen sunning themselves on the shoreline beaches, while nearby pelicans and flamingoes wade rythmically in the lapping water. A trip across the lake will take you to the Nibela peninsula, where indigenouse people still live according to their age-old culture.

© Lake shore of False Bay in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Water management is an integral part of our daily lives. Rob Cuthbertson is currently the Chairman of the Lake St. Lucia Water Catchment Forum.