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Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river

The study examines sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the Breede River estuary since 1942, and relates these changes in sedimentation to changes in the hydrology of the river, as a consequence of damming the river and its tributaries. Sequential aerial photography is used to determine...

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Main Author: De Villiers, Louis
Other Authors: Meadows, Michael E
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Environmental and Geographical Science 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author De Villiers, Louis
author2 Meadows, Michael E
author_browse De Villiers, Louis
Meadows, Michael E
author_facet Meadows, Michael E
De Villiers, Louis
author_sort De Villiers, Louis
collection Thesis
description The study examines sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the Breede River estuary since 1942, and relates these changes in sedimentation to changes in the hydrology of the river, as a consequence of damming the river and its tributaries. Sequential aerial photography is used to determine changes in the extent of the Zostera beds on the flood delta, this being indicative of changes in the substrate sediments. Four cores were taken from the flood delta, and standard grainsize analysis techniques employed to establish the composition and characteristics of the sediments. Together with survey work and other ancillary information, these twci techniques enable description of the sedimentation changes and the present sediment dynamics on the flood tide delta. Virgin catchment runoff was simulated using two models, having rainfall data as the primary input. Simulated and actual runoff, as determined from gauge plate data, were qualitatively compared in terms of mean monthly runoff and cumulative annual runoff. This, together with an examination of temporal increases in the total volume of water impounded in the catchment, enables the impact of dams on the hydrology of the river to be determined. It is found that there has been a virtually complete annihilation of the mudflat the Zostera beds, a concomitant loss of the areas, and that the sediments presently occurring on the flood delta are almost wholly of marine origin. Temporally, these changes correlate well with increased impoundment of runoff in the catchment. It is concluded that there has been an increase in marine sedimentation on the flood tide delta, and that this change in sedimentation is directly related to and consequent upon changes in the hydrology of the river as a result of impounding catchment runoff.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
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license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
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publisher Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
publisherStr Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/17329 Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river De Villiers, Louis Meadows, Michael E Environmental and Geographical Science The study examines sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the Breede River estuary since 1942, and relates these changes in sedimentation to changes in the hydrology of the river, as a consequence of damming the river and its tributaries. Sequential aerial photography is used to determine changes in the extent of the Zostera beds on the flood delta, this being indicative of changes in the substrate sediments. Four cores were taken from the flood delta, and standard grainsize analysis techniques employed to establish the composition and characteristics of the sediments. Together with survey work and other ancillary information, these twci techniques enable description of the sedimentation changes and the present sediment dynamics on the flood tide delta. Virgin catchment runoff was simulated using two models, having rainfall data as the primary input. Simulated and actual runoff, as determined from gauge plate data, were qualitatively compared in terms of mean monthly runoff and cumulative annual runoff. This, together with an examination of temporal increases in the total volume of water impounded in the catchment, enables the impact of dams on the hydrology of the river to be determined. It is found that there has been a virtually complete annihilation of the mudflat the Zostera beds, a concomitant loss of the areas, and that the sediments presently occurring on the flood delta are almost wholly of marine origin. Temporally, these changes correlate well with increased impoundment of runoff in the catchment. It is concluded that there has been an increase in marine sedimentation on the flood tide delta, and that this change in sedimentation is directly related to and consequent upon changes in the hydrology of the river as a result of impounding catchment runoff. 2016-02-29T11:59:52Z 2016-02-29T11:59:52Z 1988 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17329 eng application/pdf Department of Environmental and Geographical Science Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Environmental and Geographical Science
De Villiers, Louis
Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
title_full Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
title_fullStr Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
title_full_unstemmed Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
title_short Sedimentation changes in the Breede River estuary: A study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary, with reference to the hydrology of the river
title_sort sedimentation changes in the breede river estuary a study of sedimentation changes on the flood tide delta in the estuary with reference to the hydrology of the river
topic Environmental and Geographical Science
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17329
work_keys_str_mv AT devillierslouis sedimentationchangesinthebreederiverestuaryastudyofsedimentationchangesonthefloodtidedeltaintheestuarywithreferencetothehydrologyoftheriver