WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES - dwa.gov.za

1 Department of WATER Affairs and ForestrySecond Edition 1996S O U T H A F R I C A NWATER QUALITYGUIDELINESVOLUME 7 AQUATICECOSYSTEMSSOUTH AFRICAN WATER QUALITY GUIDELINESV olume 7: Aquatic EcosystemsFirst Edition, 1996I would like to receive future versions of this document(Please supply the information required below in block letters and mail to the given address)Name:.. Organisation:.. Address:.. Postal Code:..Telephone No.:..E-Mail:.. Mail reply to:Director: WATER QUALITY ManagementDepartment of WATER Affairs & ForestryPrivate Bag X313 PRETORIA0001 SOUTH AFRICAS outh AfricanWater QualityGuidelinesVolume 7 Aquatic EcosystemsDepartment of WATER Affairs and ForestryFirst edition1996 Published byDepartment of WATER Affairs and ForestryPrivate Bag X313 PRETORIA0001 Republic of South AfricaTel.

2 (012) 299-9111 Printed and bound by The Government Printer, PretoriaISBN 0-7988-5338-7 (Set)ISBN 0-7988-5345-X (Volume 7)Copyright reservedNo part of this publication may bereproduced in any mannerwithout full acknowledgementof the source This report should be cited as:Department of WATER Affairs and Forestry, 1996. South African WATER QualityGuidelines. Volume 7: Aquatic by S Holmes, CSIR Environmental ServicesProduced by:CSIR Environmental ServicesP O Box 395 PRETORIA0001 Republic of South AfricaThis volume is the seventh in a series of eight volumes comprising the South AfricanWater QUALITY GUIDELINES .

3 Volume 1:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Domestic WATER UseVolume 2:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Recreational WATER UseVolume 3:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Industrial WATER UseVolume 4:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Agricultural WATER Use: IrrigationVolume 5:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Agricultural WATER Use: Livestock WateringVolume 6:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Agricultural WATER Use: AquacultureVolume 7:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Aquatic EcosystemsVolume 8:South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES -Field GuideiForewordThe Department of WATER Affairs and Forestry is the custodian of South Africa's WATER resources.

4 Partof its mission is to ensure that the QUALITY of WATER resources remains fit for recognised WATER uses andthat the viability of aquatic ecosystems are maintained and protected. These goals are achieved throughcomplex WATER QUALITY management systems which involve role players from several tiers ofgovernment, from the private sector and from civil society. A common basis from which to derive WATER QUALITY objectives is an essential requirement that enablesall role players involved in such a complex system to act in harmony in order to achieve theoverarching goal of maintaining the fitness of WATER for specific uses and to protect the health ofaquatic ecosystems.

5 For these reasons the Department initiated the development of the South AfricanWater QUALITY GUIDELINES , of which this is the second edition. The South African WATER QualityGuidelines serve as the primary source of information for determining the WATER QUALITY requirementsof different WATER uses and for the protection and maintenance of the health of aquatic process that followed and the wide variety of organizations and individuals involved in thedevelopment of these GUIDELINES ensured the acceptance and use of these GUIDELINES by all significantrole players, as the South African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES .

6 These GUIDELINES are technical documentsaimed at users with a basic level of expertise concerning WATER QUALITY management. However, the roleplayers involved in the different WATER use sectors are expected to use these GUIDELINES as a basis fordeveloping material to inform WATER users in specific sectors about WATER QUALITY and to empower themto effectively participate in processes aimed at determining and meeting their WATER qualityrequirements. The Department recognises that WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES are not static and will therefore update andmodify the GUIDELINES on a regular basis, as determined by ongoing research and review of local andinternational information on the effects of WATER QUALITY on WATER uses and aquatic ecosystems.

7 Theprocess of developing WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES , and the involvement of key role players, is a continingone. The second edition is published in a loose leaf, ring binder format to facilitate the regularupdating of the GUIDELINES . All those who want to comment on and make suggestions concerning theSouth African WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES are invited to do so at any time by contacting the Director: WATER QUALITY Management, Department of WATER Affairs and Forestry, Private Bag X313, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all those who have been involved in thedevelopment of these GUIDELINES .

8 I also look forward to their continued involvement in maintainingone of the corner-stones of the WATER QUALITY management system in South Kader Asmal MPMinister Of WATER Affairs and ForestryMay 1996 to Guideline Ecosystems in the Context of WATER QUALITY contained in the QUALITY (Inorganic)..91pH (Acidity and Alkalinity).. (Inorganic).. Dissolved Suspended and of of Abbreviations / of Units of following persons and organisations are thanked for their contributions to these COMMITTEEMs T Belcher, Department of WATER Affairs and ForestryDr D C Grobler, CSIR Environmental ServicesDr S Holmes, CSIR Environmental ServicesMr J L J van der Westhuizen, Department of WATER Affairs and ForestryDr H R van Vliet, Institute for WATER QUALITY Studies, Department of WATER Affairs and ForestryPROJECT TEAMDr P J Ashton.

9 WATER QUALITY Information Systems, Division of WATER Technology, CSIRMs H Badenhorst, Institute for WATER QUALITY Studies, Department of WATER AffairsMs H F Dallas, Freshwater Research Unit, Zoology Department, University of Cape TownDr J Day, Department of Zoology, University of Cape TownDr P Goetsch, Institute for WATER Research, Rhodes University, GrahamstownMr S Jooste, Institute for WATER QUALITY Studies, Department of WATER Affairs and ForestryDr P L Kempster, Institute for WATER QUALITY Studies, Department of WATER Affairs and ForestryDr H M MacKay, WATER QUALITY Information Systems, Division of WATER Technology, CSIRMs C A Moore, WATER QUALITY Information Systems, Division of WATER Technology, CSIRDr C G Palmer, Institute for WATER Research, Rhodes University, GrahamstownMr D J Roux, WATER QUALITY Information Systems, Division of WATER Technology, CSIRTECHNICAL REVIEWERSProf C M Breen, Institute of Natural Resources, University of NatalProf J O Keeffe.

10 Institute for WATER Research, Rhodes UniversityDISTRIBUTION LISTD raft copies of the report were circulated to the following people and organisations. All commentsreceived were A Abrahams, Palabora Mining CompanyDr M S Basson, Bruinette Kruger Stoffberg Inc.,Pretoria Mr V B hmer, Senior Research Officer, Sappi Fine PapersMr E Braune, Director: Geohydrology, Department of WATER Affairs & ForestryDr F M Chutter, Afridev Consultants (Pty) LtdMr G Cowan, Deputy Director, Department of Environmental AffairsMr J Cowan Steffen, Robinson & Kirsten B R Davies, University of Cape TownDr A R Deacon, Kruger National ParkMr T de Jager, Western Areas Gold MineDr F C de Moor, Albany Museum, GrahamstownMr H M du Plessis, Research Manager, WATER Research CommissionProf H H du Preez, Department of Zoology, Rand Af