Confusion over work on St Lucia estuary
Work to remove the spoil pile will begin once all requirements have been met and the tender process is complete.
ISIMANGALISO Wetland Park Authority’s announcement late last year that it would remove the dredger spoil pile between the Mfolozi River and St Lucia estuary was met with much enthusiasm and anticipation which turned to confusion when work did not begin.
‘The tender for this civil works project will be advertised at the end of March 2015,’ said iSimangaliso CEO, Andrew Zaloumis, in a recent statement.
Work to remove the spoil pile will begin once all requirements have been met and the tender process is complete.
Following the completion of the park authority’s Global Environment Facility-funded study into long term solutions to improve the functioning of the Lake St Lucia system, plans have been put in place to implement the removal of the spoil pile which currently prevents the Mfolozi River from running its natural course into the estuary.
Water levels in the estuary system are currently equal to mean sea level. This follows a dry early- and mid-summer which has resulted in the closure of the estuary mouth spillway.
Recent rains have caused a build-up of fresh water in the Mfolozi River basin which had no way of entering the closed estuary system as sand had built up a 60m stretch of the beach between the Mfolozi River and spillway.
Sand on this built-up stretch of beach was recently removed, once again allowing the river to link to the estuary via the spillway.
Close monitoring of the estuary system by scientists, iSimangaliso and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officers will continue.
@TamlynJolly
