JANUARY 2021 - Umvoto Africa
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JANUARY 2021
“Anyon e wh o can solve th e problems of water will be wor thy of two Nobel prizes – on e for pea ce an d on e for scien ce.” — Jo hn F. Kenn ed y
COVID
Corner
F r om the begi n n i n g of 2020, S o ut h A f r i ca, alo ngs i de o t he r s
ac r oss the g l ob e , h a s h a d to a djus t to a new r e al i t y. The
COV ID -19 pand e mi c h a s h a d i t s i m pac t o n U mvo to as we l l. S o u th
A fr ica’s n ation a l l ockd ow n saw us w i t ho ut o ur us ual f r e e d o ms
an d has led to a r e-i ma g i n i n g of t he wo r k p lace . U mvo to r o l le d
with the punch e s t h a t 2020 p r e s e nte d and cam e o ut s m i li ng,
with a few of u s b ecomi n g ex pe r t s i n bak i ng b anana b r e ad – an d
d an cin g The J er u sa l e ma .
Business as (Un)usual
With the rise in COVID-19 cases and the
announcement of the national lockdown, Umvoto
transitioned to working remotely and exercised
caution when going out into the field. Team leads
embraced the ‘new normal’ and encouraged their
team by sharing scenic views from their home offices.
Paul Lee and Kristian Gerstner implemented new
protocols that were put in place to ensure the
health and safety of staff. This included provision of
thermometers for field staff and new field-laboratory
protocols.
Our Head of IT and Infrastructure, Jeff Steffen,
provided integral support. This meant that all teams
DAVID COMMITS TO COMPLETING THE 56KM TWO OCEANS MARATHON WITH
could continue working without disruption. He ONLY HIS BACK GARDEN TO LAP
was always ‘a call away’ when IT troubleshooting
was required. The continual communication (thank
goodness for Microsoft Teams!) from team leads
helped keep projects moving along and we even
managed to start new projects during a pandemic.
The EQ of the matter
Umvoto invested in keeping comradery going
virtually, while being apart physically. Staff were
continually encouraged to check-up on one another,
connect, stay fit and keep busy. The company
attempted to ease pandemic woes by making
the remote working experience as comfortable as
possible and sending regular surveys to monitor the
emotional and mental well-being of the team.
If you were bored at home, then Umvoto’s quirky
#KickItToTheCurve newsletter had plenty of helpful
tips and suggestions from fellow staff on how to
pass the time. Weekly news about the company was DYLAN’S NEW LOCKDOWN FRIEND; RONA THE RABBIT
passed along. The newsletter included some sage Matthew Misrole from the Dip Shakers team. The
advice, COVID-19 resources, pandemic comic relief, second set of winners included Chris Hartnady,
tech savvy suggestions, stories about what staff were Keanan Woolf, Lechelle Goslin, Magen Munnick with
up to and even tips from Luke Towers on how to Rowena and Ruth Hartnady helping out once in
improve your Spanish! Some highlights include: awhile.
• David out did himself during the lockdown and
completed the Two Oceans Marathon in his back
Accepting the challenge
garden! He ran 56 km by lapping his 16 m stretch Before Heritage Day president Cyril Ramaphosa
of lawn… 3500 times. called on the nation to take part in the
#JerusalemaDanceChallenge, to unify our nation
• On the brink of lockdown, Dylan adopted a new during the pandemic. Umvoto accepted this
rabbit named Rona and educated himself on the challenge and had some fun learning, practicing, and
odd ways to encourage bonding between rabbits. filming the dance. The team took it as an opportunity
to showcase the scenic surroundings of our office in
• Once moving restrictions eased, Zalda relocated
Muizenberg. We found that we could smile through
to the magnificent area between Montague and
these unprecedented and trying times, even if our
Barrydale and will be working remotely from now
smiles were hidden beneath our masks. Watch our
on. COVID-19 has allowed us to realize that we
video on Umvoto’s YouTube channel / Scan the QR
can tele-commute and still be productive.
code below.
Our Brown Bag series continued throughout
lockdown. This allowed us to ‘share a glass’ virtually SCAN TO WATCH THE VIDEO
with each other and ‘fill-up’ on some scientific and
inspirational food (Paul Lee did this best) for thought.
Umvoto’s Sabine Henry and Zandri Rademan
organized two quiz nights which brought out our
competitive sides. The winners of our first quiz were
Abulele Mafanya, Andrew Mkali, Keanan Woolf and
STAFF RUN TO TAKE THEIR PLACES FOR THEIR OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE OF
TH JERUSALEMA DANCE CHALLENGE
THE JERUSALEMA DANCE IS PERFORMED IN FRONT OF UMVOTO’S OFFICE
Conferences and
Engagement Abroad
Friends of Groundwater
Dylan Blake, Umvoto’s Associate and Principal
Geologist, attended the inception meeting of the
United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP)
World Water Quality Assessment (WWQA). It was held
at the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva
(Switzerland) in late November 2018. It was during
this WWQA inception meeting and its numerous
workshops that the “Friends of Groundwater” (FoG)
came to the fore as an informal name for the
“outsider” groundwater specialists who were at the
meeting. This included Dylan Blake, Dr Ralf Klingbeil
(BGR – German Federal Institute for Geosciences
and Natural Resources), Prof. Bruce Misstear (IAH –
International Association of Hydrogeologists / Trinity
WWQA-FOG 4TH ZOOM MEETING SCREENSHOT JUNE 2020
College Dublin), Dr Joel Podgorski (EAWAG – Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)
and Dr Neno Kukuric (International Groundwater
Resources Assessment Centre- IGRAC). The name has
since stuck as an informal name for the groundwater
work-stream of the WWQA. The FoG has grown to
about 40 people and counting. This includes both
Dylan Blake and Dr Kornelius Riemann, Umvoto’s
Associate and Principal Hydrogeologists respectively.
The group meets via Zoom once a month. SCAN TO READ ARTICLE
The FoG recently completed a global groundwater
quality perspectives paper (Assessing Groundwater
Quality: A Global Perspective) has been submitted to
the Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment
Assembly (UNEA5) as part of the WWQA. Visit
groundwater-quality.org to read the article and
find out more about FoG. They have also submitted a
conference paper titled “Groundwater Quality within
the WRC and its Relevance for the SADC Region”
which was presented at the 3rd SADC-Groundwater
Management Institute Conference in late November
2020.
LAKE VICTORIA FISHERMAN GHANA: FISH AND PLASTIC IN NET
World Water Quality Alliance
As a member of the WWQA, Kornelius Riemann, and
Senior Hydrologist, Andrew Gemmell, are appointed
by UNEP to facilitate and coordinate the Africa Use
Cases, which comprises the Cape Town aquifers,
Lake Victoria Basin and the Volta Basin. This includes
in-country engagements with local stakeholders in
Kenya, Uganda and Ghana to facilitate the provision
of water quality data and information. In this process,
Umvoto is establishing a close working relationship
with UNEP, and its European partners: EOMAP (Earth
Observation and Environmental Services; a satellite
imagery company), the Ruhr-University Bochum and WWQA GHANA STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research.
Towards this we are driving the co-design of water
quality products to address water quality challenges
in the three use case studies. This includes:
• Aquifer protection zones for the Atlantis and
Cape Flats Aquifers (CFA) using remotely sensed
data and numerical modelling approaches, with
valuable input from Sabine Henry.
• Combination of satellite imagery, water
quality modelling and in situ data to assess
eutrophication, as well as water temperature and IAH-SA WORKSHOP 2020
stratification dynamics at Lake Victoria.
IAH-SA Workshop 2020
A group of Umvoto’s junior geologists had the
unique opportunity to attend the IAH-SA workshop
from the 11th to 13th November 2020 in Stellenbosch.
This event presented a fantastic opportunity to
familiarise ourselves with various drilling and
grouting techniques, pumping test analyses,
monitoring regimes and case studies presented
by a multidisciplinary array of professionals.
We were also able to learn more about new IAH-SA FIELD TRIP TO STEENBRAS- HOSTED BY COCT AND UMVOTO
innovative groundwater exploration, development,
management and dewatering approaches available
in the national and international hydrogeological
community. Important discussions regarding the
need for standards during drilling, testing and
monitoring was also emphasised and offered
further insights from not only the hydrogeological
perspective, but also from the driller’s and engineer’s
perspectives as well. Not only did Umvoto attend the
workshop, but also provided several presentations
on our involvement in the City of Cape Town’s New
Water Programme (CoCT’s NWP). These included
presentations from Dylan Blake (Table Mountain
Group aquifer development at Steenbras), Luke EXAMINING THE CORE AT STEENBRAS DURING THE IAH-SA FIELD TRIP
Towers and David McGibbon (Atlantis and CFA
wellfield development and associated challenges),
and Kornelius Riemann (CoCT’s NWP groundwater
monitoring and its importance). All in all a great
learning experience – and an opportunity to
showcase Umvoto’s implementation of international
best practice!
Conference Highlights
Since 2017 Umvoto’s staff have had the pleasure of
attending and being involved in several local and
international conferences. These conferences have
extended our perspective on groundwater research
ISMAR CONFERENCE
and at times, provided an important global context
to the projects the team work on. Visit umvoto.com
for a full list of presentations and more details on
the projects that Umvoto have been involved in.
In 2019, the 10th Biennial International Symposium
on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR) was held
in Madrid, Spain. This gave Luke Towers and David
McGibbon the opportunity to present some of the
work planned as part of CoCT’s NWP for the Atlantis
and CFA, and gain some expert insights from abroad SCAN FOR LIST OF
PRESENTATIONS ISMAR CONFERENCE
as no local effort of this scale has been attempted A list of conferences that our team have attended:
before. The experience included presentations,
workshops and discussions with many world-
renowned experts as well as cervezas, gammon
2020
and chiros in the cobblestoned streets of old town • Drilling and Testing Workshop: Setting the
Madrid. Standard. IAH-SA
Umvoto also attended the 16th South African • Integrated Urban Water Management (UCT
Groundwater Division Conference (GWD) during Future Water)
2019 in Port Elizabeth. The theme was “Conservation, • Geoethics and Groundwater Management
Demand and Security”. Umvoto filled 7 presentation International Congress (IAH/IAPG/ISEP)
slots and appreciated the opportunity to share in the
local knowledge hub. • 1st Habitable Planet “Perspectives on Global
Change” Conference
Umvoto virtually attended the first ever international
groundwater geoethics conference (which was
supposed to be hosted in Porto, Portugal during May 2019
2020), titled “Geoethics & Groundwater Management • MAR Workshop, IAH-SA
– Theory and Practice for Sustainable Development.
The conference was hosted by the Spanish and • 10TH Biennial International Symposium on
Portuguese chapters of the IAH, along with the Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR)
School of Engineering of Polytechnic of Porto.
Unfortunately, as a result of the COVID outbreak and • 2nd SADC-GMI Groundwater Conference
(SADC-GMI)
travel restrictions the conference was changed from
in-person to virtual, but Umvoto still managed to • 16th GWD Groundwater Conference
offer 6 presentations to the virtual proceedings with
Chris Hartnady, Umvoto’s Research and innovation • United Nations Science-Policy-Business Forum
director, as a keynote speaker. Geoethics is a field Second Global Session (UNEP)
somewhat unfamiliar to the local groundwater
• Fourth Session of the United Nations
and geological industry, but will start to play an
Environment Assembly (UNEP)
increasingly major role in the world going forward.
• Royal Geographical Society Annual International
Conference
• European Geosciences Union General
Assembly 2019
• Prosopis Working Group Meeting
• Inaugural annual meeting of the WWQA, Ispra
Italy (UNEP)
2018
• Geocongress 2018 (GSSA - Geological Society
of South Africa)
• Groundwater and Drought Symposium (GSSA-
Groundwater Division)
UMVOTO AT THE GWD CONFERENCE
• WRC Inception Workshop
(UNEP-GEMS/Water-WMO)
• Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern
Africa Conference 2018
• GISSA Western Cape Members event
• OpenIX 2018, Innovation Hub
2017
• 15th Groundwater Division Conference
(GSSA-Groundwater Division)
• European Geosciences Union, General Assembly
• IAH Congress Dubrovnik
GWD GROUNDWATER CONFERENCE
Staff News and
Community
Awards and Critical
Engagement
Recently Umvoto’s staff have received several
accolades and recognition from the geological and
groundwater communities:
Rowena Hay, Umvoto’s Director, was involved in
the UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook (GEO) 6
publication. She was one of several experts that
contributed to the volume of work that critically
GSSA FELLOWS DINNER 2018
assesses pressing environmental issues in order to
achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Visit the
GEO-6 website for the full set of resources.
Dylan Blake was inducted as a Fellow of the
Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA) in
November 2018 at the GSSA Fellows Dinner in
Johannesburg, which he attended with his wife Kelly.
The GSSA describes Fellows as “senior members
of the GSSA whose experience, achievements and
SCAN FOR GEO-6 WEBSITE management skills have contributed to establishing
scientific and professional excellence in the Earth
Science profession in South Africa”.
LECHELLE GOSLIN GRADUATION Umvoto’s junior geologist, Lechelle Goslin, received
the 2020 Corstorphine Medal and John Handley
Award for her University of the Witwatersrand
dissertation, “Deformation and partial melting in
the Central Zone of the Damara Orogen, Namibia”.
The GSSA annually awards the bronze Corstorphine
Medal for an MSc dissertation of outstanding or
exceptional merit, judged to be the best in geology
at any South African university and worthy of
international recognition.
In the Hot Seat
Our research and innovation director, Dr Chris
Hartnady spoke to the Institute of Municipal
Engineering’s IMIESA magazine at the end of 2020
to discuss our involvement in the CoCT’s exploration
and current understanding of the Table Mountain
SCAN TO READ ARTICLE
Group (TMG) aquifers. He discusses “how geophysical,
DR CHRIS HARTNADY - IMIESA COVER
geological mapping, and hydrogeological monitoring
techniques are helping shape a sustainable water
supply model”. Read the full article here.
Academic Milestones
On a celebratory note, several staff members are
currently finalizing or have submitted their theses
during the course of 2020/2021. We would like to
commend and congratulate you all!
Matthew Misrole and Sabine Henry have been
awarded their Masters’ degrees. Andrew Mkali has
submitted and is awaiting his examiner’s reports.
MATTHEW MISROLE MASTERS GRADUATE
Keanan Wolff and Ruth Hartnady are in the process
of finishing their write-ups and hope to submit
their MSc and PhD theses midway through 2021,
respectively. We wish you luck and offer you support
in this!
Whale Coast Conservation Talk
In early 2020, Dylan Blake presented to the Whale
Coast Conservation organization and members of the
greater Hermanus community where he spoke about
the fractured TMG aquifers in the Hermanus region
and the sustainable approach the Overstrand Local
Municipality (LM) practices in aquifer and wellfield
management. In addition to being an important WHALE COAST CONSERVATION TALK
water supply resource to the greater Hermanus area,
the TMG aquifers play an important role in sustaining
endemic fynbos ecosystems in the mountainous
TMG aquifer recharge areas such as Fernkloof, via
groundwater-dependent seeps and springs. Through
a world-class, telemetry-based wellfield operational
and monitoring system, the Overstrand LM is able to
monitor and manage the groundwater abstraction
from the Peninsula Aquifer sustainably, without
impacting these important and diverse ecosystems.
Football Champions! WHALE COAST CONSERVATION TALK
Umvoto has had a five-a-side football team playing in
commercial Cape Town leagues since 2010, following
the euphoria of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Umvoto side has played at the Fives Futbol Grand
Central Cape Town CBD venue since the end of 2015
(where it moved from the Waterfront), and has won
seven league titles from 2016 to 2020:
• 2016 | Tuesday Division 1 Season 3 Champions
• 2017 | Tuesday Division 1 Season 4 Champions
• 2018 | Tuesday Division 1 Season 2 Champions
• 2018 | Tuesday Division 1 Season 3 Champions
• 2019 | Tuesday Division 1 Season 2 Champions
• 2019 | Wednesday Division 1 Season 4 Champions
• 2020 | Wednesday Division 1 Season 4 Champions WHALE COAST CONSERVATION TALK
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the 2020 Wednesday
Division 1 Season 1 was cancelled in March 2020
with Umvoto leading the league and unbeaten with
three games left to play. All Fives Futbol venues
were closed during the COVID-19 lockdown period,
and only opened again in October 2020. Umvoto
proceeded to win the 2020 Wednesday Division 1
Season 4 title on the 15th December 2020 after being
victorious in the final, remaining unbeaten in 2020
(played 16 games, won 16).
The Wednesday (formerly Tuesday) team that plays
in Division 1 is comprised of Umvoto Africa staff
and a mix of outside players from Muizenberg
and surrounds. Since 2018 the Division 1 team has
played 96 games, of which it has won 83, drawn 4
and lost only 9 (for an excellent win percentage of
86%). Umvoto Africa also entered a second team
into Thursday Division 3 during 2019, which was
comprised entirely of Umvoto Africa staff and interns,
to introduce some players to five-a-side football who
FIVES FUTBOL GRAND CENTRAL CT CBD 2020 (DEC)
had not played prior. WED DIVISION 1 SEASON 4 CHAMPIONS
Venturing Abroad
Chris Hartnady and Paul Lee had the rare opportunity
to travel to some geologically interesting and remote
areas of the globe. They gave us a peak into what the
experience of witnessing fiery volcanoes and icy-lated
fjords are like.
Photo Memories From
Volcano Adventures!
AEOLIAN ISLAND VIEW (2019 MAY 05) FROM VULCANO TOWARDS LIPARI, SALINAS
(DISTANT LEFT) AND STROMBOLI (FAR DISTANT RIGHT).
On 4 May 2019, Steve Richardson and Chris Hartnady
joined a VolcanoDiscovery excursion to the active
volcanoes along the convergent margin between the
Africa/Nubian and Eurasian plates. The tour party led
by an experienced guide, Marco Fulle, assembled in
Catania, Sicily for an evening meal and introductions
at a restaurant located above a lava cave in the 1669
flow that destroyed a major part of the old city.
Chris writes that ‘’the next morning, we proceeded
by ferry to the island of Vulcano, dormant since an
extremely violent explosion in 1881. The highlight
of the following days was an ascent to the active
summit crater of Stromboli, continuously active with TOUR PARTY ON AFTERNOON RECONNAISSANCE (2019 MAY 07) OF N RIDGE OF
STROMBOLI WITH VIEW OF THE ACTIVE CRATER AND ITS WESTERN “SCIARA
intermittent small explosions, providing spectacular DEL FUOCO” (SKI OF FIRE) PYROCLASTIC SLOPE. THE PARTY CONSISTED OF
AN AUSTRALIAN COUPLE, UCT COLLEAGUE STEVE RICHARDSON, AND OUR
after-dusk fireworks. VOLCANODISCOVERY GUIDE, MARCO FULLE (AT RIGHT).
On 9 May we returned to Sicily via the island of Lipari
to spend the remaining days till 12 May on Mount
Etna. Etna had experienced a significant eruption
from its southeastern flank in December 2018 but
was in a quietly fuming state during our visit. In July
2019 it returned to activity with a major summit blast
and lava flow from a southwest flank vent above the
2002-3 Barbagallo crater on the southern ridge. At
the time of writing (14 December 2020) there has
been a renewed eruption from this same area.”
AFTERNOON VIEW (2019 MAY 09) SOUTH FROM LIPARI WESTERN COAST TO
VULCANO AND MAINLAND SICILY WITH ETNA ON FAR SKYLINE.
SCAN FOR VIDEO
EVENING VIEW (2019 MAY 08) OVER THE ACTIVE STROMBOLI CRATER, AWAITING THE
NIGHT’S EXPLOSIVE SHOW. TO WITNESS THE ACTIVITY, AND SEE THE SPECTACULAR
“BUNSEN BURNER” VENT, VISIT MARCO FULLE’S VIDEO.
On the early afternoon of 2019 July 03, a burst
from the “Bunsen burner” vent was followed by
sudden overflow of lava from the foreground
“glowing eye” craters and, within about
two minutes only, a devasting paroxysmal
explosion from the whole active summit, which
devastated the view-site area and incinerated
the volcano observatory and webcam
equipment on it- experience it for yourself in
INGVvulcani’s video. Fortunately, there were no
VIEW OF ACTIVE SOUTHEASTERN SUMMIT CRATER OF ETNA (2019 MAY 10) FROM THE tourists on the summit at that time of day. Read
BARBAGALLO CRATER ON THE SOUTH RIDGE. about the July 03 event on Volcano Discovery.] SCAN FOR ARTICLE SCAN FOR VIDEOPatagonia: Somewhere Quiet could not depend on any rescue resources. Kayaks
were loaded to the gunnels with food and protective
February 2018, Paul Lee, Umvoto’s Senior equipment for a 40 day sojourn. Other gear included
Environmentalist and Climatologist, and some of 4-season tents, warm sleeping bags, navigational,
his friends embarked on an 800-kilometre, 30-day repair and medical equipment and a good supply
kayaking expedition through the Patagonian Fjords. of whisky (or whiskey – Paul does not say!) to keep
Running in a north south direction down the west the spirits high and the cold at bay. Food rations
coast of Chile these fjords represent one of the last for a possible 40 days needed to provide sufficient
untouched wilderness areas on earth. Departing from daily calorie intake of between 6000 to 8000
the small fishing village of Puerto Eden, the team (normal being 2500). The only way to carry this much
set out on the seventh of February in high summer, nutrition was in freeze dried packs with plenty of
having just left Cape Town behind during the height oils, chocolate, butter and the like. All three kayakers
of one of the worst droughts of the century. Paddling emerged at their end destination of Peurto Natales
past the world’s largest glaciers, they encountered several kilos lighter and a few years older from the
27 days of rain during their journey. The region they gruelling accomplishment.
travelled through experiences an annual rainfall of
3500mm. Its daily summertime temperatures are Paul’s response to the question: Why would you
between five and ten degrees Celsius and perpetual choose such a harsh landscape and would you do
winds often gust in excess of 200 km/h. it again? ”If you want to go somewhere quiet and
untouched; go where it’s cold, the tourists won’t be
The three kayakers paddled unsupported and met there…”
only one fishing boat. Self-reliance was critical as theySouth Africa
City of Cape Town’s New Water
Programme - First of this kind
for the Western Cape
The CoCT initiated its NWP in 2017 during the
extreme 1:590 year “Day Zero” drought. This
programme aims to diversify bulk water supply,
thereby improving long-term water security and TMG WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT - EXPLORATORY CORE DRILLING
resilience against future droughts by abstracting bulk
groundwater from the major fractured Nardouw and
Peninsula Aquifers of the Table Mountain Group, and
the primary Cape Flats and Atlantis Aquifers.
TMG Wellfield Development
The CoCT has been investigating the feasibility of
groundwater abstraction from the TMG aquifers with
engineering consultants Zutari (formerly Aurecon)
since the early 2000s and aims to potentially
abstract ~140-400 million litres (Ml)/day from the
TMG aquifers. Current exploration, which includes
additional exploration via detailed geological
TMG WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT - PENINSULA AQUIFER PRODUCTION BOREHOLE
mapping and heliborne geophysics, is concurrent DRILLING AND LOWER STEENBRAS DAM
with wellfield development in the vicinity of
Steenbras Dam east of the CoCT. This takes the form
of a ~15-20 Ml/ day wellfield scheme (expected to be
fully operational in mid-2021).
The planned “Steenbras Wellfield” targets both
TMG aquifers along a high-yielding major crustal
structure or hydrotect termed the “Steenbras-
Brandvlei Megafault Zone”. Currently Umvoto has
been assisting in the drilling of shallow to deep (100
– 400 m) and ultra-deep (up to 1000 m) abstraction
and exploratory boreholes that target the Nardouw
and Peninsula Aquifers, respectively. These boreholes,
TMG WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT - PRODUCTION BOREHOLE REVERSE CIRCULATION
with tested abstraction borehole yields ranging DRILLING SETUP
between 10-70 l/s, are the first steps to ensuring the
security of the CoCT’s water supply.
On the 5th of August 2020, the CoCT’s Executive
Mayor Alderman Dan Plato and Mayoral Committee
Member for Water and Waste Alderman Xanthea
Limberg launched the first phase of the NWP with
the occasion being marked by the introduction of
groundwater into Steenbras Dam. Read more about
the launch on the CoCT’s website. At present four
Nardouw Aquifer production boreholes have been
commissioned, providing ~10 Ml/ day into Steenbras TMG WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT - DYLAN BLAKE AT THE COCT’S LAUNCH OF GW
INTRODUCTION INTO STEENBRAS DAM
Dam. A further eight boreholes will be commissioned
at Steenbras Wellfield and additional groundwater
exploration and wellfield development is underway
in the Grabouw-Eikenhof and Theewaterskloof areas.
It is estimated that these combined wellfields will
meet the ~50 Ml/day target for the first phase of TMG
development outlined in the CoCT’s Water Strategy. SCAN FOR COCT WEBSITEA 3D re-imag(in)ing
Throughout 2020, Umvoto invested a lot of resources
into the systematic curation of historical data and
set out to use this data in a meaningful way. The
NWP is the CoCT’s first water supply project that
is set to abstract bulk groundwater from the TMG
aquifer. As a result, the impacts of this abstraction
need to be considered and is especially critical when
considering the environmentally sensitive Cape
Floristic Region that the wellfields are located within.
However, if we want to understand the impacts
of groundwater abstraction, then we first need to
understand the geology. As the rocks of the TMG
have undergone multiple phases of faulting and
GEOLOGICAL MAP OF TMG AQUIFER
folding, understanding the structural context in a 3D
space is a necessity.
Over the years Umvoto has worked on a number
of projects that have targeted the TMG Aquifer. In
doing so, the company has collected vast amounts
of geological information, from various campaigns
by means of desktop mapping with the aid of
remotely sensed images, field mapping, drilling and
geophysical surveys. This is all gathered in relation
to the rocks that host this important groundwater
resource for the Western Cape. Towards the end of
2020, Umvoto’s objective has been to synthesize this
geological knowledge base from past and ongoing
projects in order to equip scientists with tools to
make more informed decisions for future work.
Currently, the standardized data collection schemes
TMG AQUIFER SYSTEM are in development and are being evaluated on
datasets from Steenbras-Grabouw, Nuweberg-
Boesmanskloof and Klipfontein-Groenlandberg
which form part of the continued work for the
CoCT’s NWP. This first phase aims to aid in the
understanding of the complex faulting and folding of
the Cape Fold Belt.
In the future, Umvoto envisages that these Standard
Operating Procedures (SPO) will create a unified
geological context across various projects. ensuring
that scientists have access to an evolving geological
knowledge base or context to inform future work.
This will create a ‘built-in’ process for assessing the
quality of observations collected for more effective
scientific review and in the long run, possibly
aid in the creation of training datasets for semi-
CFA MANAGEMENT SCHEME - INFRASTRUCTURE
automated machine learning. Early 2021 will see
Umvoto integrating these datasets into an updated
3D geological model for the Steenbras through to
Thweewaterskloof areas.
Cape Flats Aquifer
Management Scheme
Umvoto along with iX Engineers have been
developing the CFA since late 2017 as part of the
CoCT’s NWP. The CFA Management Scheme has
been designed with multiple approaches to water
security in mind. This includes abstraction from nine
planned wellfields and Managed Aquifer Recharge
(MAR) using a combination of injection boreholes
and two planned infiltration ponds.
CFA MANAGEMENT SCHEME - INFRASTRUCTUREIn addition to the ongoing monitoring, Umvoto was
appointed as the Environmental Control Officers
(ECOs) for the CoCT’s CFA development and have
been overseeing the environmental management
of the development of the wellfield and associated
infrastructure for over two years now. We reached
several milestones in 2020, including the completion
of a 4 mega-litre reservoir in Strandfontein, and the
completion of several borehole chambers throughout
the CFA. The site locations were selected by Umvoto
personnel, along with key personnel from the CoCT’s
Environmental Management Department and
Biodiversity Management Branch. Specialist Heritage
Impact Assessment work was undertaken by Asha
Consulting. All works were undertaken and managed
according to the CoCT’s Water Resilience Projects
Environmental Management Programme.
In September 2020 Umvoto completed the reporting
of all data gathered in the last three years. This was
no mean feat! Various monitoring, drilling and testing
reports were submitted which culminated into an
updated numerical model and the delineation of
groundwater protection zones for the CFA. Once
again, Umvoto leaving its stamp on the CoCT’s
footprint.
Atlantis Resource Management
Scheme
CFA MANAGEMENT SCHEME - S-30 SONIC CORE
In late 2017 Umvoto undertook refurbishment and
Since January 2018 Umvoto has designed and expansion of the CoCT’s Atlantis Water Resource
supervised the drilling of 267 boreholes, consisting Management Scheme (AWRMS) as part of the NWP.
of exploration, monitoring, production and Work was initiated to assess performance of existing
injection boreholes as well as test-pumping design, boreholes. After these assessments it was shown
supervision and analysis of 183 abstraction tests and 7 that production borehole re-drilling was required. To
injection tests. date 32 production boreholes have been re-drilled
and tested with yields between 2-30 l/s. This sees the
Umvoto continuously monitors 90 water level sites scheme return to design capacity of a potential
and 160 water quality sites which will be used 25 Ml/d.
to establish a baseline dataset for the CFA prior
to operation allowing the team to characterise In parallel, Umvoto has re-established the monitoring
the aquifer and identify contamination sources. network through drilling and testing of 18 monitoring
By collecting and analysing both groundwater boreholes and 2 exploration boreholes (to date).
and surface water samples, on a quarterly basis, These monitoring sites along with existing sites
our team is establishing baseline measures and deemed usable, brings the total number of
seasonal trends to inform future aquifer and land use monitoring points across the scheme from 42 (2017)
management for resource protection and of course to 188 (2020). Coupled with this, is the complete
future augmentation decisions. Further it highlights refurbishment of the MAR stormwater retention
what contaminants are or could pose a challenge basins, adding an important step to the MAR source
for water treatment options; aside from being an water prior to infiltration.
immediate risk to present direct use of groundwater
without treatment. This dataset also helps guide the
CoCT on where to target groundwater abstraction
and recharge, and to show what contaminants could
pose a challenge for treatment or be a risk to users.
Routine sampling especially revealed its importance
at a particular CFA site, where various sources of
contamination were identified. There is now a need
for a thorough assessment and remediation in
addition to the mitigation measures that Umvoto has
already put forward to help rehabilitate various sites
and improve aquifer functioning.
ATLANTIS INFRASTRUCTURERehabilitation of existing boreholes that will
remain in use is currently underway and is
expected to continue in 2021, along with cleaning
of decommissioned sites prior to their conversion
to monitoring points or permanent capping and
sealing.
All these efforts will culminate in what is probably
the most complex integrated water use licence
application (WULA) yet. Components of the scheme
as well as the planned construction will require
Section 21 a, c, e, f, g, j and i applications.
Further to this ongoing work, Umvoto’s
environmental team has been overseeing not only
drilling and testing works, but also the construction
and refurbishment of the Silwerstroom pump line,
reverse flow pipeline to send water from Atlantis
to Melkbos, construction of 2 x 5 Ml tanks to offer
storage for the future wellfield operation and a new
waste basin for the softening plant and construction
of slabs and cages around each production borehole.
With the installation of return flow valves, CoCT now
have the option of sending groundwater to Melkbos
Reservoirs in times of emergency - greatly increasing
the resilience of the western edge of CoCT metropole.
Umvoto has developed a steady state numerical
model for the AWRMS to guide wellfield HERMANUS: BLOW-YIELD FROM THE TMG
management and assess potential for wellfield
expansion. This model is planned to be upgraded to
a transient model in 2021.
Hermanus
Historically Hermanus was founded on a TMG spring
by a Dutch farmer and teacher named Hermanus
Pieters, who utilised this TMG spring along the
Attakwaskloof Fault in the Hemel en Aarde Valley
known as “Hermanus Pieters se Fonteyn” from ~1815
to 1837. After his death, the subsequent settlement
in the area was named “Hermanuspietersfontein”,
which was later shortened to Hermanus. The
original “Hermanus Pieters se Fonteyn” and other
TMG springs supplied the settlement and later
Hermanus town from the late 1850s to early 1900s,
following which surface water was also brought
into the water supply mix (via various streams and
the small Mossel River dams). A Nardouw Aquifer
wellfield (where the Hermanus Golf Club currently
resides) was established and utilised to primarily
supply Hermanus from the mid-1950s to mid-1970s,
although this was disused and lost following the
development of the major De Bos Dam (where first
water was produced in 1976). Following extensive
growth and periods of drought, the Overstrand LM
developed three TMG wellfields in the early-mid
2000s to supplement the bulk water supply. Umvoto
has been intimately involved with the development,
management and monitoring of three Overstrand LM
TMG wellfields (which target the Peninsula Aquifer at
depths of ~100-280 metres below ground level):
• Gateway Wellfield opposite Gateway Shopping
Centre in Hermanus (developed from 2001 to
present), which targets confined Peninsula HERMANUS - GATEWAY WELLFIELD PRODUCTION BOREHOLEAquifer along the Hermanus Fault (and
associated Mount Pleasant and Gateway Fault
splays) via five production boreholes (yields of
~5-25 l/s), with a WUL to abstract up to 1.6 million
m3/a.
• The Camphill and Volmoed Wellfields in the
Hemel en Aarde Valley (developed from 2009 to
present), which target confined and unconfined
Peninsula Aquifer respectively along the
Attakwaskloof Fault via five and two production
boreholes respectively (yields of ~3-15 l/s), with a
WUL to abstract up to 1.6 million m3/a. KARST DISSOLUTION FEATURE IN MALMANI SUBGROUP DOLOMITE OUTCROP AT
ABEL ERASMUS PASS
These three TMG wellfields currently supply ~30-40%
(~1-1.5 million m3/a) of the greater Hermanus region’s ter into the Olifants River during the dry season to
(Benguela Cove to Voelklip) current water demand of maintain the low flow requirements (allowing for in-
~4-4.5 million m3/a (~4-4.5 billion litres per year), with creased surface water abstraction from the dams up-
the remaining ~60-70% currently being supplied gradient) and supplying groundwater to local villages,
by De Bos Dam (Overstrand LM has a maximum industries and mines in exchange for their allocation
allocation of 2.8 million m3/a from the 6.3 million m3 from the scheme. Through a combination of these
stored within De Bos Dam). The Overstrand LM’s aim options, a total yield from the proposed groundwater
is to expand these three TMG wellfields over the next scheme of 40 million m3/a was estimated.
1-2 years to the full combined WUL potential of 3.2
million m3/a, in order to meet ~50% of the predicted
Hermanus water demand of ~6 million m3/a within
Land Cover Mapping
the next decade. Umvoto has recently completed Umvoto now has a detailed high resolution (10 m
the Gateway Wellfield expansion with iX engineers pixel) Land Cover (LC) dataset based on 2018 and
following the drilling and commissioning of the new 2019 Sentinel-2 imagery for the Western Cape. The
GWP16 and GWP17 production boreholes, and is in dataset covers the area between the Western Cape’s
the process of selecting and drilling boreholes for west and south coasts, from Atlantis to Agulhas. This
expanding the Camphill and Volmoed Wellfields. seamless LC mapping has already been extensively
used in our ongoing work for the CoCT, as well as
ORWSS Malmani Subgroup several other projects. Umvoto’s LC dataset is suitable
for a variety of regional applications with 34 classes of
Dolomite Feasibility Plan LC information at 10 m resolution.
Development
LC maps provide a snapshot of the earth’s biophysical
Umvoto Africa was appointed by the Department of cover in a hierarchical manner, giving them
Water and Sanitation in 2016 as the lead Professional flexibility for scientific investigation. Additionally,
Service Provider for a feasibility plan and study exe- they are important for numerous scientific and
cution for groundwater resource development of the social applications, and underpins much of what
Malmani Subgroup dolomites within the Olifants Riv- is needed for monitoring environmental change.
er Water Supply System (ORWSS) (which arc across Data of this type informs disaster management and
the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces). The aim environmental monitoring as LC maps provide a
was to secure groundwater as a long-term option means to detect changes in agriculture, assess and
to augment water supply to the ORWSS by optimis-
ing the conjunctive use between surface water and
groundwater, as well as to determine the possibility
of artificial recharge of the fractured and karstic dolo-
mite aquifers.
The 2-year project comprised the standard phases of
desktop assessment, field work, groundwater assess-
ment and numerical model, and led to the identifi-
cation of potential wellfields and the development of
an implementation plan. Thanks to the cooperation
with local firm VSA Leboa, we could tap into the vast
GRIP database and undertake efficient field verifica-
tion, geophysical surveys and drilling of exploration /
test boreholes.
Several options were investigated and proposed to
facilitate the integration of the groundwater supply
options into the ORWSS, including managed aquifer
recharge of the river alluvium with flood water from
the Olifants River, release of abstracted groundwa- LAND COVER MAP OF THE WESTERN CAPEmonitor drought and flood risk and furthermore map
and model fire/burn scars. Most critically, LC maps
allow for the assessment of future climate change
risks, such as carbon emission due to deforestation
and identifying changes in human settlements.
As existing and past LCs interact they strongly
influence water and climate systems. Knowing the
LC of an area assists us in understanding ongoing
processes. Behaviour of surface precipitation,
the rates and amounts of infiltration, run-off,
evapotranspiration and potential pollution risks
are heavily dependent on land cover. This makes LOCAL DRILLING SUPERVISION WITH A VIEW OF TABLE MOUNTAIN
the spatial distribution of different LC types, an
important factor for water and climate models. Sports Grounds (Hermanus), Kelpak Capricorn
Umvoto’s assessment of aquifer vulnerability, using Park (Muizenberg), Priontex (Wynberg), CoCT
the GIS based DRASTIC model (Depth to water, Department of Water and Sanitation new
Recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Bellville office, Consol Glass Bellville, Eskom
Impact of the vadose zone, Hydraulic conductivity) Pinotage Substation (Croydon), Black River Park
made extensive use of our LC dataset, allowing us (Observatory), Cavendish Square (Claremont),
to analyse and visualize the vulnerability of these Tongaat Hulett Starch Bellville Mill, De Ville
aquifers to groundwater pollution thereby assisting Centre (Durbanville), Waverly Business Park
management of groundwater resources. (Mowbray), Marley Roofing (Philippi)
In addition, other local groundwater work included:
Local Groundwater • Hydrogeological and hydrochemical monitoring
Assessments data analysis for Tokai Estate (Cape Town) and
During 2017 to 2020 Umvoto performed numerous Bokpoort Concentrated Solar Power Plant
groundwater resource assessments entailing desktop (Groblershoop).
surveys, hydrocensus, geophysics and borehole • Groundwater Monitoring Programme and
siting. In some instances, groundwater development Stormwater Management Plan development
was undertaken thereafter which included Umvoto was completed for eight RCL Foods Consumer
personnel supervising borehole drilling or test- poultry farm operations in the Malmesbury and
pumping and performing yield or hydrochemical Hopefield regions.
analyses. These projects included estates, farms, • Specialist groundwater contamination
educational facilities, pharmaceutical companies and assessments as part of environmental impact
commercial projects across the Western Cape: assessments and WULAs were undertaken for
service stations in the V&A Waterfront (Cape
• Estates – Onrus Manor (Hermanus), Klein Town) and Weltevreden (Philippi), and the Engen
Slangkop Private Estate (Kommetjie), Ruyteplaats West Coast 1 Stop (Langebaan).
Private Mountain Estate (Hout Bay), Kenrock • A groundwater and soil contamination
Country Estate (Hout Bay), Noordhoek Manor assessment for Langrug informal settlement
(Noordhoek), Disa Park (Cape Town), Golden (Franschhoek).
Grove (Ottery), Capricorn Beach (Muizenberg)
• Borehole rehabilitation and testing of the
• Farms – Mountain Forest (Wilderness), Scheepers Koeberg Nuclear Power Station wellfield and at
Boerdery (Wilderness), Barton Vegetables (Bot Olijvenhof Estate was undertaken in association
River), Boesmansrivier (Bonnievale), Cordier’s with AB Pumps.
River (Prince Albert), Zeekoegat (Wellington), During the “Day Zero” drought (within the Western
Twistwyk (Rivierson- derend), Brown Dog Cape from 2015-2018) the Provincial Government
(Baardskeerdersbos), Buffelsklip (Uniondale), of the Western Cape Department of Transport
Sandhoogte (Uilkraals River), Highlands Stud and Public Works initiated their “Water Business
(Robertson), Bosch Heuwel (Stanford), Grensplaas Continuity Plan”, to ensure critical facilities
(Wellington), Keurbosch (Piketberg), Vergenoegd (specifically health care related) would not run out
(De Doorns) of water in case of the Western Cape Water Supply
• Educational facilities – Fish Hoek High School, System dams running dry. Umvoto was appointed
University of Cape Town Upper Campus, Wynberg to develop emergency groundwater schemes for
Boys’ High School the following health care facilities: Groote Schuur
Hospital, Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Mowbray
• Pharmaceutical companies – The Biovac
Maternity Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Retreat
Institute (Ndabeni), Johnson & Johnson (Retreat),
Community Health Centre, Heideveld Community
GlaxoSmith- Kline (Epping), Fine Chemicals
Health Clinic, Western Cape College of Nursing, DP
Corporation (Epping), BBI Solutions (Epping)
Marais Hospital, Wesfleur Hospital, Maitland Cottage
• Commercial – Corruseal Western Cape (Croydon; Home, District Six Community Health Clinic and
including a freshwater specialist study), Hawston Laingsburg Hospital.Africa
Assessing the Ramotswa
Aquifer
The Water Research Commission (WRC) initiative
was an innovative project completed in collaboration
with the International Groundwater Resources
Assessment Centre based in The Netherlands.
Umvoto was one of four teams, collaborating closely
with the Universities of the Western Cape and
Witwatersrand and Delta-H groundwater consultants,
assessing the Ramotswa Aquifer shared by Botswana
and South Africa.
As part of this project, we developed Python scripts
to convert data from the Department of Water and
Sanitation into a format that can be uploaded to WRC BIG DATA PROJECT - ANDREW GEMMELL AT SADC-GMI CONFERENCE
PRESENTATION
an existing online groundwater data repository.
This included collating, assessing, cleaning and
quality control of the data. In addition, the project
included a 3-month internship at the IBM Research
Centre in Johannesburg to support our successful
management of big data sets.
Prospecting in Malawi
In 2019 Umvoto was appointed by a private client to
develop a water strategy for small holder farmers in
Central Malawi. The aim of the water strategy was
to outline the steps towards realising sustainable
irrigation schemes through identifying priority
WRC BIG DATA PROJECT - SITE VISIT OF FARMING ABOVE RAMOTSWA AQUIFER BY
areas within broad Target Zones. These are areas DYLAN BLAKE AND ANDREW GEMMELL
where the water resource potential warrants further
investigation prior to selection and design of pilot
irrigation schemes.
As part of an internal research and development
project, Umvoto embarked on creating a regional-
scale LC map of central Malawi to assist in identifying
these Target Zones. Sentinel 2 imagery was used
to map farmland and type as no data of this type
existed. This was then verified by field data collected
by Umvoto staff members Luke Towers, Tim Biggs,
Solomon Banda and Raphael Nantheleza (an
exercise that called for a great deal of teamwork).
In addition to area specific hydrocensus and other
investigations, the whole of Central Malawi was
travelled and LC types mapped. Between the KAYAKING ADVENTURES IN MALAWI
gruelling miles on the roads, a lot of sugar cane and
mango eating, cold beer and swimming was enjoyed
in rare down time.
This mapping exercise is Umvoto’s second regional
scale LC dataset and it focuses on central Malawi,
from Nkhoma in the north to Zomba in the south,
and is a marked improvement on other LC data such
as ESA, which only has a 20 m spatial resolution
and limited LC classes. The LC mapping contains
13 natural and transformed classes and supported
Umvoto’s hydrogeological and risk assessment of the
area. In addition, Umvoto carried out an agricultural
terrain investigation using GIS based multi-criteria
analysis creating crop suitability maps for the region. RELAXING IN BETWEEN WORK IN MALAWIGroundwater Assessments in
Eritrea
Umvoto has joined forces with WSP (London),
GREDCO (Eritrea) and IGS (Botswana) to undertake
Groundwater Assessment, Aquifer Mapping and
Wellfield Development (GWAAMWD) for the State
of Eritrea. This entails GIS and remotely sensed
mapping of Eritrea to identify potential groundwater
development targets on a regional scale.
While still in the Inception phase, the project aims to
increase resilience and improve access to water for
at least 13 villages. Based on the desktop assessment
undertaken, regional groundwater targets will be
assessed by further field mapping, geophysical ERITREA
surveying and borehole drilling and testing to inform
wellfield development and management. Luke
Towers, along with WSP’s representative, spent a
week in March 2020 in the state capital Asmara to
collect as much data as possible from the Ministry
of Water Land and Environment (MoLWE). Between
meetings and data gathering at the Ministry, Luke
and company were treated to some fine company
and tours of surrounding villages forming part of the
90 village study being undertaken. Resembling old
Italy, Asmara truly is a well-kept secret.
Training and Data Collection in
Ethiopia
During 2018 and 2019 two field trips were made to
undertake geotechnical logging, surface mapping
and training of local geologists for Australian Allied
Gold Corporation in western Ethiopia.
Onsite geotechnical supervision and logging was
carried out on approximately 8000 meters of rotary
drilled HQ and PQ sized core. This logging involved
identifying the origin of defects. These could relate to
mechanical, natural and incipient, core orientation
measuring, measuring of rock mass data, detailed
joint conditions and derivation of realistic Geological
Strength Indices for the rock mass. An important
aspect of the mine design was to establish the
location and extent of the transition zone between
ERITREA
the bottom of completely oxidised rock (saprock)
and the top of fresh rock.
PAINTING OF A DRILL-RIG IN ETHIOPIA BY TIM BIGGS ERITREAFace mapping was carried out at exposed cuttings
and outcrops located along the proposed pit mine
boundary. Data including stereograms and software
derived data was subsequently applied to analyse pit
wall slope stability.
PAUL LEE AND GEMMA BLUFF INSTALLING AN AIR QUALITY SENSOR ON THE
EXISTING WEATHER STATION THAT PAUL INSTALLED IN 2019
AN ETHIOPIAN LANDSCAPE- WATERCOLOUR BY TIM BIGGS
A SOP for geotechnical logging was compiled to
provide a consistent logging methodology which
delivers geotechnical design parameters for input
into mine design. The aim of the procedures was to
ensure that all geological and geotechnical personnel
could perform at internationally and professionally
recognized standards of logging.
Climate and Air Quality
Monitoring
The environmental section of Umvoto has been
busy this year remotely monitoring weather and air
quality stations across Africa. Locations range from THE DRILL PAD UNDER CONSTRUCTION VIEWED FROM THE TULU MOYE VOLCANO
Atlantis (Western Cape) in the south to the northern
boundaries of the continent in Ethiopia.
These fully automatic stations provide a multitude
of parameters, which are remotely monitored via
GPRS cellular networks. The data provides input
to the Umvoto GIS and modelling teams, which in
turn supports our hydrogeological team. Parameters
include rainfall, temperature, evaporation and
evapotranspiration, wind speed and direction, relative
humidity and solar radiation.
Additionally, air quality stations are set up on the
boundaries of the large geothermal power station,
Tulu Moye, in central Ethiopia. They monitor the
emission gases from the drill platform as it enters
the geothermal magma chambers at a depth of 2
to 3 km within the East Africa Rift Valley. Parameters
include VOC, CO, CO2, NO, NO2, SO2, H2S, O3 and
fugitive dust plumes PM2.5 and PM10. A SUCCESSFULLY SETUP AIR QUALITY SENSOR STATION
INSTALLING THE WEATHER STATION AND AIR QUALITY SENSOR DREW QUITE A CROWD FROM THE NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES.Data
transitioning
As part of Umvoto’s ongoing drive towards data long-term earth and related processes in our project
driven solutions, 2020 saw the formalization of areas. This improves scientific understanding and
Umvoto’s Database Initiative. The team behind the assists decision makers.
initiative has an aim to facilitate easy access and
management of Umvoto’s ever growing repository Looking forward, we are focusing on optimizing
of data by streamlining reporting and data quality these new processes to ensure high quality data
management of information throughout the throughout Umvoto’s workflow, from field collection
lifetime of a project – and beyond in so far as the to final reporting. This will enhance Umvoto’s
data could inform further research and improved contribution to clients and decision-makers,
implementation of solutions. provide data for downstream applications, and
ensure improved consistency, quality, repeatability
This exciting new transition will see us enhancing and scalability. We anticipate that it will support
the way in which we manage our ever-expanding evaluation and monitoring of project outcomes and
umbrella of datasets, spreadsheets, field sheets and investment.
reports. The goal is to collate this information into a
comprehensive relational database that can inform
an integrated data management pipeline. This
process is summarized in the figure below.
Having adopted Hydro GeoAnalyst as our database
management software, Umvoto has enhanced
data curation, analysis and interpretation abilities.
By interrogating Umvoto’s large data repositories,
spanning a wide variety of data types and sources,
the Database team has mapped out Umvoto’s data
flows. This has informed the creation of customized
databases for a variety of existing projects, planning
also for the needs of future projects.
The benefit of a more robustly curated database gives
increased confidence in the data itself. Improved
structuring leads to quicker analysis while opening
new avenues of analysis. Having easy access to
historical data, collected daily and sometimes
spanning decades, will allow us to better decipher HGA OUTPUT- FENCE DIAGRAM USING BOREHOLES
UMVOTO DATA PIPELINE COMPRISING HYDRO GEOANALYST FUNCTIONS AND CUSTOM INTEGRATIONSThe Umvoto
Foundation
The Umvoto Foundation (TUF) was recently
formalized as the not-for-profit outreach
organization of Umvoto Africa. TUF focuses on
research and facilitating advocacy, outreach, and
social responsibility in the science-society interface
of environment and water. TUF’s work began the
Hoerikwaggo Critical Zone Observatory Project,
which identified the degradation of urban streams,
canals, and vleis and the negative impact on the
water quality of the CFA. Regenerating the aquifer
recharge zone and ecosystem are essential for
maintaining water quality and reducing disaster
risk while being mindful that this work must involve
many communities,
Umvoto partnered with Communitree, Site-Specific
Land Art, and the Edith Stephens Wetland Park in
2019 to lead the Great Lotus Canal Challenge. Prof
“WATERCATCHER” FOR UMVOTO, CAPE FLATS AQUIFER PROTECTION ZONE PROJECT,
Neil Armitage presented to the community on his 2018 - ANNI SNYMAN, EUGENIE GROBLER AND KATTY VANDENBERGHE
experience in and ideas for rehabilitation of canalised
water ways and Mr Mike Ryder presented how he has,
initially solo but increasingly with support of local
participants and the CoCT, started the clean-up of
storm water canals feeding in the wetland alongside
which he lives.
The project focused on working with communities
through art, education and supporting grassroots
initiatives to improve the environmental health of
the Lotus Canal and engaging with other community
organisations who have started doing similar projects
in their own areas. Together we can is a phrase that
often popped up during the workshop.
We consider the success of this project as TUF’s
introduction as a leader in social hydrogeology
with an emphasis on working with and for People
in a defined project domain or Place and building LAUNDRY CRESCENT - THE LOTUS CANAL IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE RECHARGE
SYSTEM OF THE CAPE FLATS AQUIFER. IT IS EXTREMELY POLLUTED WITH PLASTIC
common Purpose and undertaking appropriate AND HUMAN WASTE, MAKING IT A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD, BUT IT HAS
CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL AS A COMMUNAL WASHING AND RELAXATION AREA.
action to realise committed and sustained ANNI SNYMAN
improvement in lives of communities and the
environment in which they live. With formal status
as a Foundation, TUF can continue to strengthen its
leadership and Board, build important partnerships,
and seek diverse funding opportunities.
Watch the “Water Catcher” video a collaboration
between local artists and Umvoto – the early
beginnings of TUF!
WATER TANKS - THE ENORMOUS WATER STORAGE TANKS CAUSED A STIR AMONGST
PHILIPPI RESIDENTS. ART PROPOSALS TO TURN AN EYESORE INTO AN ATTRACTIVE
ASSET INCLUDED THIS VISUALISATION
SCAN FOR THE VIDEO SCAN FOR HOERIKWAGGO PDF BY STRIJDOM VAN DER MERWE.You can also read
