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for Merthley Dam and accordingly, for Greytown. Indigenous species
have been planted in the riparian zones (Anonymous, 1993)*. In
a few cases river catchment associations have subsequently evolved
into irrigation boards, while in other cases, river catchment
associations have become defunct (for example, the Umgeni
Catchment Association).
(iii) The South African Rivers Association, P 0 Box 583, Constantia,
7848 (involved with the use of rivers for recreation), while not a
scientific body, has a considerable interest in the maintenance of
river systems and the prevention of environmental de9radation.
(iv) Other organizations of relevance (mainly in terms of the educational
aspects of rivers) are the following: GREEN** (Global Rivers
Environmental Education Network), clo R. O'Donoghue, Natal Parks
Board, P 0 Box 662, Pietermaritzburg, 3200; Project Water, clo
Umgeni Water, P 0 Box 9, Pietermaritzburg, 3200; Renfreight/
Rennies Wetlands Campaign, c/o Natal Parks Board, P 0 Box 17090,
Congella, 4013, and Share-Net (Umgeni Valley Nature
Reserve/Project), PO Box 394, Howick, 3290.
Southern Africa (the promoters of the Karkloof project) (Cooper, 1996)* * * . The
Karkloof River is an important tributary of the Mgeni River. The ecosystem health of the
Karkloof River is accordingly essential for the proper functioning of the Albert Falls Dam
in particular. The Karkloof catchment has a variety of land uses ranging from natural
grasslands and wetlands to commercial forestry plantations, and is a generally scenic and
well conserved area. There are a number of privately'owned protected zones such as the
leopards Bush Private Nature Reserve, and the Umgeni Valley Nature ReservelProject run
by the Wildlife Society. Maintenance of the rich biodiversity of the area (the presence of
timber plantations notwithstanding), is of considerable environmental and hydrological
significance. It follows that river catchment associations as well as water and irrigation
•
**
***
See Anonymous, 1993. Has your stream dried up?, On Stream. Issue No. 2. Summer 1993, p. 3.
Note that GREEN originated in the USA. GREEN currently operates in the southern African context,
in terms of a consortium of related projects known as SWAPCON (Schools Water Action Projects
Consortium).
Cooper, K.. 1996. Personal communication. Wildlife Society of Southern Africa. Durban. For a
further discussion of integrated catchment management, see Division of Water, Environment and
Forestry Technology of the CSIR and Walmsley Environmental Consultants. 1996. The philosophy
and practice of integrated catchment management: implications for water resource management in
South Africa, WRC Report No. TT 81196, Water Research Commission and the Department of Water
Aftairs and Forestry, Pretoria, 140 p.