Text in Afrikaans / Water is in 'n relatief droe land soos Suid-Afrika van uiterste belang. Daar is 'n groot behoefte aan inligting oor die potensieel verbruikbare waterbronne. Hierin word voorsien deur 'n netwerk van riviervloeimeetstasies. Met veranderende ekonomiese toestande word die effektiwiteit van die netwerk van al hoe groter belang. Dit is hier waar netwerkbeplanning 'n aktiewe rol begin speel. As gevolg van die groot variasie in die aard van die opvanggebiede in Suid-Afrika, en die feit dat daar 'n bestaande netwerk is, is dit nodig dat netwerkbeplanning stapsgewys benader word. Die Eerste Fase is 'n leerproses. Die verskillende opvanggebiede in die land kan gegroepeer word en die meetstasies kan geklassifiseer word. 'n Netwerkbeplanningsmetode, "Die ideale netwerk", is ontwikkel en word op drie opvanggebiede toegepas. Die belangrikste resultaat is die klassifikasie van al die meetstasies in die drie opvanggebiede. / In a relative dry country like South Africa water is of critical importance. Information on the potential usable water resources is very valuable. This information is supplied by a network of river flow gauging stations. In changing economic times the effectiveness of this network is of increasing importance. Network design plays a major role in insuring this. Network design has to be approached in phases because of the variety in catchment characteristics in South Africa, and the fact that there is an existing network. The First Phase can be regarded as a learning phase, in which all the catchments in the country can be grouped and the stations can be classified. A network design method, · "The ideal network", was developed, and is applied in three catchments. The most important result is the classification of all the existing stations in the three catchments. / Geography / M. Sc. (Geografie)

This thesis develops a technique for the identification, classification and quantification of instream flow environments. These features have been traditionally referred to as 'habitats' by lotic ecologists, in this research they are termed 'hydraulic biotopes'. The hydraulic biotope is the lowest of six nested levels of a hierarchical geomorphological model. This model has been developed as a tool to assist river managers, researchers and conservationists to categorise or classify rivers with respect to their geomorphic characteristics. Each level of the model provides data at a different level of resolution. This ranges from the broad scale catchment data to the site specific 'habitat' or hydraulic biotope data. Although this thesis is primarily concerned with the development of the hydraulic biotope, the interaction of all catchment variables needs to be recognised. Detailed analysis of hydraulic biotope data in the Buffalo River are presented within the broader hierarchical model. Consultation with lotic ecologists, together with a review of ecological literature, emphasised the need for a standardised terminology for the classification of ecologically significant instream flow environments. At present a fairly haphazard 'habitat' classification tends to be carried out by most researchers, this often leads to confusion in the identification and naming of different hydraulic biotopes ('habitats'). This confusion is exaggerated by the sharing of terminology between lotic ecology and fluvial geomorphology, usually for the categorisation of different types of features. A review of the ecological literature emphasises the importance of flow hydraulics within a river to describe the distribution of biota. The hydraulic variables considered to be most significant include velocity and depth. As river morphology directly determines the prevailing distribution of depth, velocity and substratum, it is obvious that there are important links to be made between fluvial geomorphology and lotic ecology. This thesis explores the potential of the hydraulic biotope as a tool to help develop those links. This thesis presents a standardised classification matrix for the identification of hydraulic biotopes. The matrix is simply based on water surface characteristics together with channel bed substratum. The validity of this matrix is tested by statistical analysis of hydraulic variables quantifying flow conditions within the various hydraulic biotope classes. Data is presented from four different river systems, each representing a different sedimentological environment. Where possible the influence of discharge has been considered. Results from more than 3000 data points show that hydraulic biotopes have distinct hydraulic characteristics in terms of velocity-depth ratio, Froude number, Reynolds number, 'roughness' Reynolds number and shear velocity. These hydraulic indices represent flow conditions both as an average within the water column, and near the bed. Statistical analysis shows that the hydraulic characteristics of the various hydraulic biotope classes are relatively consistent both within different fluvial environments and at different stages of flow. Unlike the morphological unit in which the hydraulic biotope is nested, in stream flow environments are shown to be temporally dynamic. Using the classification matrix as a tool for identification, hydraulic biotopes identified at one discharge are shown to be transformed from one class to another as a response to change in stage. The pattern of transformation is shown to be consistent within different sedimentological environments. An examination of the associations between hydraulic biotopes and morphological units demonstrates that, although some hydraulic biotopes are common to all morphological units (backwater pools, pools and runs), some features have specific associations. In this study rapids were found to be prevalent in bedrock pavement, bedrock pool and plane bed morphology, while cascades, chutes and riffles were common to plane bed, step and riffle morphology. Results from this research indicate that the hydraulic biotope, within the hierarchical geomorphological model, has the potential to aid the prediction of channel adjustment and associated 'habitat' (hydraulic biotope) transformation in response to changes in flow and sediment yield. These are likely to become increasingly important issues as South Africa strives to maintain a balance between the development of water resources to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding population, whilst at the same time maintaining the fluvial environment for sustainable use.

Text in Afrikaans / Water is in 'n relatief droe land soos Suid-Afrika van uiterste belang. Daar is 'n groot behoefte aan inligting oor die potensieel verbruikbare waterbronne. Hierin word voorsien deur 'n netwerk van riviervloeimeetstasies. Met veranderende ekonomiese toestande word die effektiwiteit van die netwerk van al hoe groter belang. Dit is hier waar netwerkbeplanning 'n aktiewe rol begin speel. As gevolg van die groot variasie in die aard van die opvanggebiede in Suid-Afrika, en die feit dat daar 'n bestaande netwerk is, is dit nodig dat netwerkbeplanning stapsgewys benader word. Die Eerste Fase is 'n leerproses. Die verskillende opvanggebiede in die land kan gegroepeer word en die meetstasies kan geklassifiseer word. 'n Netwerkbeplanningsmetode, "Die ideale netwerk", is ontwikkel en word op drie opvanggebiede toegepas. Die belangrikste resultaat is die klassifikasie van al die meetstasies in die drie opvanggebiede. / In a relative dry country like South Africa water is of critical importance. Information on the potential usable water resources is very valuable. This information is supplied by a network of river flow gauging stations. In changing economic times the effectiveness of this network is of increasing importance. Network design plays a major role in insuring this. Network design has to be approached in phases because of the variety in catchment characteristics in South Africa, and the fact that there is an existing network. The First Phase can be regarded as a learning phase, in which all the catchments in the country can be grouped and the stations can be classified. A network design method, · "The ideal network", was developed, and is applied in three catchments. The most important result is the classification of all the existing stations in the three catchments. / Geography / M. Sc. (Geografie)

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 1996. / One copy microfiche. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original microfiche. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present network of now gauging stations in South Africa has grown from isolated observations on an ad extensive is to an extensive network of stations across the country. Standardised gauging stations to suit local conditions have been developed which include purposely desigll4:d compound weirs. Nearly all. compound gauging weirs In South Africa have. for practical reasons. been constructed without dividing walls. thus deviating lr',:.n the standards set by the British Standards Institution (1981). Uncertainty about the accuracy of calibration of such structures had to be darifi,ed and. where ~cessary. adjustments had to be made to existing calibration formulae in order to compensate for the de,,·iations. It was also necessary to determine whether the accuracies that could be attained were adequate in terms of the potential financial implications of inaccuracies. It has thus become necessary to re-evaluate the calibration of these structures which consist of mainly compound Crump .md sharp-crested weirs. Selected flow l"t'Cords were analysed and the data wa.\ used to determine the impact of errors on the required capacities of reservoirs. This wa., done in an anempt to provide guidelines for the accuracy required in flow records. An31ysing a single application of a flow record cannot provide guidelines for the required accuracy of a flow record and thus the gauging of flow. Although no general conclusions can be drawn. it appears thal the benefits arising from an improvement in the accuracy of a flow record are proportionally greater than the percentage improvement in accuracy. Three-dimensional flow conditions exist either upstream or downstream of the point of stage measurement depending on the presence or absence of diViding walls at a compound gauging weir. The existing calibro1tion theory does not account for the influences of three-dimensional flow conditions and a.-'isociatcd energy losses in the determination of the upstream total energy head. Hydraulic model tests were thus undenaken to detemline the magnitude of the resulting energy losses. New techniques were developed to compensate for these energy losses in the calibration theory of compound gauging weirs. Application of the new calculation techniques to rate compound weirs using a single point of stage measurement results in improvements in accuracy. It was found that compound weirs without dividing walls can be rated to greater levels of accuracy than weirs with dividing walls, where stage measurements are taken at a single point / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige nc!werk van vloclmectpumc III SUld-Afnka hel gegroei van gc'isoleerde waamemings op 'n ad hoc basis, tot 'n uitgebrcldc nctwerk. van meetpunte vcrsprei oor die hele land, Standaard mcetstruktuure aangepas vir plaaslike omstandighede is ontwikkei en sluit in doelgeboudc saamgestelde mcetstrukture. Byltans aile saamgestelde mcetstruklure in Suid-Afrika is weens praktisc oorwegings opgerig sonder verdeelmure, wal afwyk van die standaarde gestel deur die British Standards Institution (1981). Onsekerhede aangaande die akkuraathcid ,'an die kaJibrasie van sulke slrukture moes opgekJaar word en unpassjngs un die beSlaande leorie moes gedoen word om hier'OOf te kompenseer. iodien nodig. Oil was ook nodig om va~ Ie s,tel of akkuraathede Waf hulbaar is voldoende is, met inagneming Vlll poIensi~1c finamiitle implikasies van onakkuruthede. Oit hel dus nodig gcword om die bestaandc kaJibra.liic van saamgestelde meetstrukture. hoofsaakJik Crump en sterpkroin meetwaJle, Ie hcr·cval~r. Seleere vloei:rekords is ontl~ en die data is gcbruik om die impak van foule ~ bepaal op die berekende k.apasitei~ van opgaardamme. Oil IS gedoen in 'n poging om riglyne neer te Ie rakende die akkuraatheid verlang in 'n vloeirekord. Die ontleding van '0 enkele loepassing van 'n vloeirekord lewer nie genoegsame data om riglyne vas Ie stell. "ir die verlanp akkuraalheid van 'n vloeirekord of vloeimeling nie. AlhoeweJ geen duidelike riglyne hieruii vOilr1spruit nie. kom dit voor asof die voordele verkry uit '0 verbetering io die akkuraatheid van 'n vloeirekord in verhouding groter is as die vcrmiodering in die vloeimetingsfout. Drie-dimensionele II'loeitoeslande bestaan of stroomop of stroomaf van die punt van watervlakmeting, afl1iangende van die 'cenwoordigheid of afwesigheid van vcrdeelmure by 'n saamgestclde meetstlruktuur. Die beslaande kalibrasieleorie maak nie voorsiening vIr die invloed van drie-dimensionele vloeitoestande en die gepaardgaande energieverlicse op die bepahng van die totale stroomop energiehoogte nie. Hidrouliese mode1tor: sc is ondemeem om die omvang van die resulterende energieverliese vas te ste!. Nuwe tegnieke in die kaJibrasieteorie vir saamgestelde strukture is ontwikk.e1 0:t1 tc kompenseer vir hierdie energieverliese. 'n Verbc:tcde akkuraatheid word verkry wanneer die nuwe tegniek toegepas word op die kalibrasie van saamge~telde meetstrukture met 'n enkele punt van watervla.kmeting. Daar is gevind daR saamgestelde meetstrukture sonder verdeelmure illurater gekalibn:er lean word. as suuktt.Rmet vcrdeelmure waar walervlakke slegs by 'n enkclc punt gemeet word.

Thesis (PhDEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The interaction between moving water and the physical attributes of a river, as displayed by the channel morphology, determines the availability of physical habitat for aquatic species and thus also the condition of the ecosystem. As such, the environmental flow assessment process requires knowledge on how changes in the flow regime will affect both the morphological and hydraulic conditions within a river channel. With the increasing development of water-related infrastructure in mountain regions, knowledge of the morphological and hydraulic characteristics of rivers in the upper catchment areas is very important. Cobble and boulder bed rivers in the Western Cape are typical examples. They are characterized by steep gradients, great variability in sediment size and relatively low flow depths. The bed configuration contains a series of pools, steps, rapids, riffles and plane beds, while energy losses are high as a result of turbulence and hydraulic jumps. Due to their wideranging morphological and associated hydraulic attributes, the physical habitats within these rivers are extremely diverse, both on a spatial and temporal scale. This study addresses the interaction between moving water and the physical attributes of cobble and boulder bed rivers. Empirical, semi-empirical and theoretically based models are developed which define the hydraulic and morphological related characteristics of environmental flow components in cobble and boulder bed rivers. They cover macro scale channel deformation, the scouring of sand from the interstitial spaces between the cobbles as well as velocity-depth relationships, which prove to be key components in the assessment of environmental flow requirements in cobble and boulder bed rivers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wisselwerking tussen die vloeiende water en die fisiese eienskappe van 'n rivier, soos beskryf deur die morfologie, bepaal die beskikbaarheid van habitat vir akwatiese spesies en gevolglik ook die welstand van die ekosisteem. Kennis omtrent die impak van 'n veranderde vloei regime op beide die morfologiese en die hidrouliese toestande in 'n rivierloop is dus nodig vir die bepaling van omgewingsvloeibehoeftes. Met die toenemende ontwikkeling van water-verwante infrastruktuur in bergagtige gebiede is 'n grondige kennis van die morfologiese en hidrouliese eienskappe van riviere in hierdie bo-opvanggebiede gebiededend noodsaaklik. Spoelklip riviere in die Wes-Kaap is tipiese voorbeelde van sulke riviere. Hierdie riviere word gekenmerk deur steil hellings, 'n wye verskeidenheid sedimentgroottes, relatiewe lae vloeidieptes en hoë energieverliese as gevolg van turbulensie. Verder bevat die ri vierbed afwisselend poele en stroomversnellings en gevolglik word 'n wye verskeidenheid habitat tipes in hierdie riviere aangetref. Hierdie studie fokus op die interaksie tussen bewegende water en die fisiese eienskappe van spoelklip riviere. Met behulp van empiriese, semi-empiriese en teoretiese modelle word die morfologiese en hidrouliese eienskappe van omgewingsvloeibehoeftes in spoelklip riviere aangespreek. Dit sluit makroskaal kanaal vervorming, die uitskuur van sand tusen die spoelklippe asook die verwantskap tussen vloeisnelheid en vloeidiepte in. Hierdie aspekte kan beskou word as van die sleutel elemente vir die bepaling van omgewingsvloeibehoeftes in spoelklip riviere.

The Klein Berg River catchment is intensely cultivated with orchards, vineyards and wheat, while also ensuring a water supply to the main urban center, Tulbagh, and the two conservation areas (Waterval and Groot Winterhoek). The primary objective of this thesis is to determine channel change over a long and short time period, and to relate these changes to landuse change within the catchment. <br /> <br /> Assessing stability of a selected reach within the catchment was done on a short term basis with the use of erosion pins and cross<br /> profiles, while aerial photographs of over 55 years (acquired during 1942, 1967, 1987 and 1997) which were analysed using Geographic Informations Systems. Rainfall and discharge data, which were available for a period of 49-years were statistically analysed and used to determine trends. Vegetation characteristics were assessed by means of transects within the study reach. The results over the short time period (18 months) indicate noticeable channel change in the form of erosion and deposition within the channel. Bank material composition and riparian invasive alien vegetation play an important role in bank stability. Sand was the dominant grain size of the bank material, and fluvial entrainment occurred during periods of high flow. Woody alien trees prevent the growth of protective ground vegetation, and thus the soil is prone to erosion. Undercutting was also observed with the invasive woody trees, resulting in treefall. Debris dams were also common in the channel and depending on their position in the channel, either cause or prevent bank erosion. Landuse change over the 55-year period illustrated its effects on channel stability. Shrublands within the catchment has been replaced with invasive alien vegetation along the riparian zone, while shrublands along the Obiekwa Mountains, were replaced with cultivated lands. The patterns (shape and size) of lateral and point bars within the study area changed significantly within the 55-year period, which indicates a change in the discharge and sediment dynamics within the catchment. The change in sediment dynamics may be due to agricultural activities and urbanization. The increased trend in rainfall, especially during the winter season within the catchment is also an important catchment control. The study has revealed the integrated nature of variables within the catchment. It is thus recommended that a holistic and integrated approach at a catchment scale is required in the assessment of channel change of a river.

The Klein Berg River catchment is intensely cultivated with orchards, vineyards and wheat, while also ensuring a water supply to the main urban center, Tulbagh, and the two conservation areas (Waterval and Groot Winterhoek). The primary objective of this thesis is to determine channel change over a long and short time period, and to relate these changes to landuse change within the catchment. <br /> <br /> Assessing stability of a selected reach within the catchment was done on a short term basis with the use of erosion pins and cross<br /> profiles, while aerial photographs of over 55 years (acquired during 1942, 1967, 1987 and 1997) which were analysed using Geographic Informations Systems. Rainfall and discharge data, which were available for a period of 49-years were statistically analysed and used to determine trends. Vegetation characteristics were assessed by means of transects within the study reach. The results over the short time period (18 months) indicate noticeable channel change in the form of erosion and deposition within the channel. Bank material composition and riparian invasive alien vegetation play an important role in bank stability. Sand was the dominant grain size of the bank material, and fluvial entrainment occurred during periods of high flow. Woody alien trees prevent the growth of protective ground vegetation, and thus the soil is prone to erosion. Undercutting was also observed with the invasive woody trees, resulting in treefall. Debris dams were also common in the channel and depending on their position in the channel, either cause or prevent bank erosion. Landuse change over the 55-year period illustrated its effects on channel stability. Shrublands within the catchment has been replaced with invasive alien vegetation along the riparian zone, while shrublands along the Obiekwa Mountains, were replaced with cultivated lands. The patterns (shape and size) of lateral and point bars within the study area changed significantly within the 55-year period, which indicates a change in the discharge and sediment dynamics within the catchment. The change in sediment dynamics may be due to agricultural activities and urbanization. The increased trend in rainfall, especially during the winter season within the catchment is also an important catchment control. The study has revealed the integrated nature of variables within the catchment. It is thus recommended that a holistic and integrated approach at a catchment scale is required in the assessment of channel change of a river.

Thesis (MTech (Nature Conservation))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010. / Many urban rivers are heavily engineered and no longer function naturally. The City of Cape Town has designed and implemented many stormwater and river management projects. Very little monitoring has occurred as to whether these engineering projects and remediation measures, have had a positive effect on our urban river ecosystem function. The study investigated the influence of specific engineering interventions such as the placement or rocks in stream to create weirs, gabion lining of stream channels, removal of canal walls, establishment of artificial wetlands, and approaches to urban river management, on river ecosystem function of the Keysers River, Little Lotus River, Langevlei Canal, Silvermine River, Moddergat River and Big Lotus River, as measured by specific indices including water chemistry and aquatic community structure (macroinvertebrates and diatoms).