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ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED 40MW OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT IN THE AMERSFOORT AREA, MPUMALANGA SOILS LAND CAPABILITY AND LAND USE Land type: Ca2 Landscape dominated by Mainly dryland shallow yellow-brown agriculture and apedal, distrophic soils in extensive grazing higher lying areas, variable depth bleached apedal soils in midslope positions and poorly drained structured soils of variable depth in low lying areas Bohlweki-SSI Environmental AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL Medium to low except for lower lying areas that constitute wetlands 7.1.9.2. Aerial Photograph Interpretation and Land Use/Capability Mapping The interpretation of aerial photographs yielded eight land use categories. These categories, as well as the areas and percentages they cover, are presented in Table 7.4. The spatial results of the aerial photograph interpretation are presented in Appendix F – Land use map). The land capability mimics the current land use and as such is included in Table 7.4. Table 7.4: Land use and capability of the study area Land use Land Capability Area (ha) Percentage (%) Grasslands Grazing 8759.9 70.8 Dryland Agriculture Arable 3155.9 25.5 Woodland Grazing/Arable 46.8 0.4 Dam Wetland 143.0 1.2 Pan Wetland 8.9 0.1 Rural Infrastructure - 19.3 0.2 Urban Infrastructure - 218.5 1.8 Mining Infrastructure - 28.8 0.2 Total 12381.1 100.2 7.1.10. Regional Vegetation The study area is situated within the Amersfoort Highveld Clay Grassland and Soweto Highveld Grassland vegetation types (refer to Appendix G). 7.1.10.1. Amersfoort Highveld Clay Grassland This vegetation type comprises undulating grassland plains, with small scattered patches of dolerite outcrops in areas. The vegetation is comprised of a short closed grassland cover, largely dominated by a dense Themeda triandra (Red Grass) sward, often severely grazed to form a short lawn. The conservation status is E02.JNB.000308 ESKOM HOLDINGS LIMITED 01 50 08/10/2009
ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED 40MW OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT IN THE AMERSFOORT AREA, MPUMALANGA Bohlweki-SSI Environmental regarded as Vulnerable 2 , with a planned conservation target of 27%. None is however formally protected. Some 25% of this unit (Amersfoort Highveld Clay Grassland) is transformed, predominantly by cultivation (22%). The area is not suited to forestation. Silver and black wattle and Salix babylonica invade drainage areas. Erosion potential is low. Overgrazing leads to invasion of Stoebe vulgaris (Bankrupt Bush). <strong>Part</strong>s of this unit (Amersfoort Highveld Clay Grassland) were once cultivated and now lie fallow and have been left to re-vegetate with pioneer grass species. These transformed areas are not picked up by satellite for transformation coverage and the percentage of grasslands still in a natural state may be underestimated. The study area is situated within the African Grasslands/Ekengela Initiative Transition Zone, rendering all areas of natural grassland sensitive 3 . 7.1.10.2. Soweto Highveld Grassland This vegetation type comprises a gently to moderately undulating landscape on the Highveld plateau supporting short to medium-high, dense, tufted grassland dominated almost entirely by Themeda triandra and accompanied by a variety of other grasses such as Elionurus muticus, Eragrostis racemosa, Heteropogon contortus and Tristachya leucothrix. Only scattered small wetlands, narrow stream alluvia, pans and occasional ridges or rocky outcrops interrupt the continuous grassland cover. This vegetation type is regarded Endangered with a planned conservation target of 24%. Erosion is generally very low. 7.2. The Social Environment 7.2.1. Social As mentioned earlier, the study area falls within the Pixley ka Seme Local Municipality (PSLM). According to the Spatial Development Framework (SDF) 4 of the PSLM, the current spatial pattern within the municipal area can be divided into 7 broad categories of land use, namely: Urban land use, rural land use, mines and quarries, conservation areas, agriculture, tourism areas, and the transport network. • Urban land use: The towns of Volksrust and Vukuzakhe are classified as major urban areas whereas Wakkerstroom, Daggakraal and Amersfoort are regarded as minor urban areas. An area such as Perdekop is regarded as a declining urban area. 2 Vegetation types that have lost up to 20% of their original extent, which could result in some ecosystem function being altered. 3 Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism; 2001. Environmental Potential Atlas. Pretoria. 4 Pixley ka Seme Local Municipality, 2001. Pixley ka Seme Local Municipality IDP. Available at URL http://pixleykaseme.local.gov.za. E02.JNB.000308 ESKOM HOLDINGS LIMITED 01 51 08/10/2009
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