alexlansdowne Profile picture
Dec 13, 2022 9 tweets 4 min read Read on X
Reflecting on the #KnowYourRiver Lower Diep River Walk

Yesterday I walked from the N7 Highway to the Milnerton Lagoon Mouth to see for myself the challenges facing the Diep River. I was joined by @CityofCT officials. We met community members & user groups along the way.
Along this 15 kilometres stretch of river key challenges we saw were land invasion below the floodline, pollution from industrial run off, and sewage ingress from informal communities.
The community members we met along the river, and user groups such as the Milnerton Horse Riding School, all have a common desire to see a healthy and safe river.
At Potsdam I was able to conduct oversight at the settlement ponds, discharge points into the river, and other infrastructure at the plant. A combination of pond maintenance and other smaller measures will make a meaningful difference to the plant which is already overcapacity.
It is however clear to me, after this walk, that everything else we need to do downstream of Potsdam will be meaningless without the much-needed Billion Rand upgrades to the plant. We are anticipating this will break ground in 2023.
Despite this pollution a fair amount of biodiversity, especially bird life, still exists along all stretches of the river.
150+ years of bad choices along 120km+ of the Diep & Mosselbank Rivers have contributed towards the ecosystem collapse you smell at Milnerton Lagoon today.
There isn’t one single entity, event or time that can be blamed. But I can assure you we are walking the path out of the stink.

I will continue, for the remainder of my term, to walk the length of the rivers in Cape Town to see for myself the challenges they face.
I’d like to thank Councillor Fabian Ah-Sing for joining us to walk the Milnerton Lagoon.

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More from @alexlansdowne

Jan 13, 2023
ZEEKOEVLEI!

Today I conducted my 1st oversight visit of the year to Zeekoevlei in the @CityofCT False Bay Nature Reserve.

This is a RAMSAR (@RamsarConv) wetland of critical importance for people & nature in @capetown.

Here are 5 things I saw:
1. FoZR

I met with the Friends of Zeekoevlei & Rondevlei who are a valued local conservation group.

They do incredible work protecting their vlei, connecting their community to water, & raising funds for green jobs.

Support them here: facebook.com/Friendsofzeeko…
2. Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes)

The most invasive species on earth.

The @CityofCT breeds & releases biocontrol insects to manage these aliens.

FOZR & our conservation staff manually remove them too. Due to this work they under control & near eradication.
Read 6 tweets
Dec 12, 2022
#KnowYourRiver: Lower Diep River

This morning I will be walking the length of the Lower Diep River to Milnerton Lagoon mouth.

I will see for myself the state of the river & meet community members & officials along the way.

Start: 8AM

[Follow this Tread] Image
The main tributary starts in the Kasteel Mountain, North of Malmesbury. It is joined by the Mosselbank catchment which finds it’s source in Durbanville.

It used to discharge into the ocean at three mouths but now has one fixed mouth at Milnerton Lagoon. ImageImage
Malibongwe Drive Bridge & the N7 is where the river enters Urban Cape Town. Once upon a time people would float grain barges into the ocean from here.

Due to agricultural abstraction this river is a now dry here. ImageImageImage
Read 8 tweets
Jan 14, 2022
1. Today Deputy Mayor @AndrewsEddie & I helped open the weir at Rondevlei Nature Reserve for the first time since 1998! After a brief boat ride we joined conservation staff in the water to open the sluice gate.
2. This draining of the waterbody simulates the natural draw-down that historically happened in this ecosystem. It will also flush excess nutrients from the waterbody & allow conservation staff to remove invasive Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).
3. We also had a great 1st meeting The Friends of Zeekoevlei & Rondevlei who contribute an immense amount of capital & expertise to these waterbodies. They will be important roleplayers in the Water & Wetlands committee which I chair.
Read 4 tweets
Jan 10, 2022
Today @CityofCT officials began clearing sludge & bullrushes at Rondevlei Nature Reserve in preparation of the vlei draw-down expected to happen later this week.

Here’s why this is important: Image
1. Rondevlei (250Ha) is a globally renowned birding site. On an average summer day 70 bird species may be seen. It also home to the #ExtinctintheWild Erica verticillata & Cape Town’s only Hippo pod! 🦛

Managing for biodiversity = Managing for ecotourism. Image
2. Hundreds of years ago #CapeFlats vleis would have dried up significantly during the dry summer months. The opening of the sluce gates will allow conservation staff to clear invasive aquatic Water Hyacinth (seen in the foreground). Image
Read 5 tweets

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