Planning for groundwater in South Africa

Abstract

Ecosystems that rely on groundwater as a water source have a natural and inherent resilience to climate change. Under natural conditions aquifers are stable water sources – in fact, ecosystems reliant on groundwater are literally the refuge vegetation from previous climate changes. However, this time round, groundwater dependent ecosystems are more vulnerable to climate change as groundwater is no longer a stable water resource as a result of anthropogenic impacts. As groundwater is a hidden resource, the impact of pollution is only noticed when it discharges above surface. For these reasons groundwater is essential but difficult to plan for. Traditionally, groundwater has not been incorporated into conservation planning because of the complex nature and lack of integration