Lesotho’s water woes hold lessons for wetlands everywhere

A fascinating and in-depth report by Ground Up looks at the factors influencing the long-term viability of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project reveals that vigorous conservation of wetlands is vital.

Katse Dam (Photograph: Wikipedia)

As everybody knows, the Witwatersrand is one of the few industrial hubs without large-scale water resources nearby. The engineering marvel that is the Lesotho Highlands Water Project brings a large proportion of the area’s water to the Vaal River system. When the water is cut off for a projected six-month maintenance phase, we will see just how vital it is.

But, as this article indicates, it’s not all about engineering. A number of factors threaten the long-term viability of the whole Project, not the least of which is the degradation of the wetlands.

The challenges to protecting Lesotho’s wetlands – and the dire results of failure – are spelled out. For those of us involved in protecting a similar network of vital and fragile wetlands in the Steenkampsberg area, it provides ample food for thought – and, one would hope, perhaps some fruitful collaboration across the wetland world.

Read the full article.

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