Resis program - Limpopo Department of Agriculture
In 2004 Dr Nicholas Papenfus investigated seventeen defunct irrigation schemes on behalf of the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. This was part of the 'RESIS' program, intended to revitalise numerous agricultural/irrigation schemes that had mostly been built in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, but which had subsequently fallen into a state of disrepair. The brief was to visit the irrigation schemes accompanied by a RESIS fascilitator, meet the community representatives, and then proceed with the investigation. This usually took the form of going to the source of the water, which was invariably a stream or river, and then walking along the canals or pipelines to where the cultivated lands were situated, where mostly some form of flood or sprinkler irrigation had been used. During the inspection notes were made on the varioius features of the scheme accompanied by photographs. This was followed up with a report that briefly outlined the essential features of the irrigation system, followed by proposed inteventions including a rough estimate of what this could cost.
As may be expected the type of irrigation system in use influenced the required interventions, and these were characterised by elements as varied as (a) repairs to existing concrete canals, (b) lining existing earth canals with concrete, (c) instalation of new hdpe pipelines, (d) revitalization of pumps & tansformers, (e) repairs to pump houses, (f) repairs to balancing dams, (g) providing extraction points to pump water from rivers, (h) repairs to diversion weirs, (i) construction of new diversion weirs, (j) installation of impact sprinklers, (k) construction of above ground concrete reservoirs as balancing dams, (l) de-sedimentation of a large storage dam and smaller balancing dams, (m) embankment protection in river beds using gabion structures.
Where flood irrigation had been or was still being used, the main finding was loss of water in the primary and secondary concrete feeder canals, as a result of cracks or breakages, which could be repaired or replaced relatively easily, and with some training this could be done by individuals within the community who already had some experience as bricklayers/plasterers. Thereafter they would also be in a position to maintain the canal network, at a relatively low cost. But in the case of the pivot systems (two schemes) and the impact sprinkler systems (three schemes) and their accompanying pumping systems, the damage was far more extensive, requiring extensive replacement of mechanical and electrical equipment by specialist companies - who would thereafter also be required to do the ongoing maintenance.
Following is a list of the reports that were written - each is also a link that will take the reader to the corresponding report for the irrigation system in question:
1. SECURING THE WATER SUPPLY AT THABINA
2. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT SUCCESS
3. REINSTATING THE WATER SUPPLY AT GROOTFONTEIN
4. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT KOEDOESKOP
5. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT FERTILLIS
6. IMPROVING WATER SUPPLY AT CANYON AND VALLIS
7. REVITALIZATION OF IRRIGATION SCHEME AT LEPELLANE
8. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TSATANE
9. RE-VITALIZATION OF THE SERAGANENG DAM
10. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STRYDKRAAL B
11. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STRYDKRAAL A
12. REPAIRS AND BETTERMENTS TO CANAL SYSTEM IN TONGWANE RIVER GORGE (for SUCCESS AND GROOTFONTEIN)
13. TSWELOPELE - COST EFFECTIVE WATER EXTRACTION IN SANDY RIVER BEDS
14. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MOOIPLAATS
15. PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS FOR WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FARMS AT MASETLWE
16. REVITALIZATION OF WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LUSERN
17. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE MAFATOABOKGWALE PROJECT
These 17 reports are sumarised in the report 'Progress Report Summarising Dams for Africa’s involvement in various RESIS Projects in Limpopofor the Period October through December 2004'.
As may be expected the type of irrigation system in use influenced the required interventions, and these were characterised by elements as varied as (a) repairs to existing concrete canals, (b) lining existing earth canals with concrete, (c) instalation of new hdpe pipelines, (d) revitalization of pumps & tansformers, (e) repairs to pump houses, (f) repairs to balancing dams, (g) providing extraction points to pump water from rivers, (h) repairs to diversion weirs, (i) construction of new diversion weirs, (j) installation of impact sprinklers, (k) construction of above ground concrete reservoirs as balancing dams, (l) de-sedimentation of a large storage dam and smaller balancing dams, (m) embankment protection in river beds using gabion structures.
Where flood irrigation had been or was still being used, the main finding was loss of water in the primary and secondary concrete feeder canals, as a result of cracks or breakages, which could be repaired or replaced relatively easily, and with some training this could be done by individuals within the community who already had some experience as bricklayers/plasterers. Thereafter they would also be in a position to maintain the canal network, at a relatively low cost. But in the case of the pivot systems (two schemes) and the impact sprinkler systems (three schemes) and their accompanying pumping systems, the damage was far more extensive, requiring extensive replacement of mechanical and electrical equipment by specialist companies - who would thereafter also be required to do the ongoing maintenance.
Following is a list of the reports that were written - each is also a link that will take the reader to the corresponding report for the irrigation system in question:
1. SECURING THE WATER SUPPLY AT THABINA
2. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT SUCCESS
3. REINSTATING THE WATER SUPPLY AT GROOTFONTEIN
4. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT KOEDOESKOP
5. REDUCING WATER LOSSES AT FERTILLIS
6. IMPROVING WATER SUPPLY AT CANYON AND VALLIS
7. REVITALIZATION OF IRRIGATION SCHEME AT LEPELLANE
8. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TSATANE
9. RE-VITALIZATION OF THE SERAGANENG DAM
10. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STRYDKRAAL B
11. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STRYDKRAAL A
12. REPAIRS AND BETTERMENTS TO CANAL SYSTEM IN TONGWANE RIVER GORGE (for SUCCESS AND GROOTFONTEIN)
13. TSWELOPELE - COST EFFECTIVE WATER EXTRACTION IN SANDY RIVER BEDS
14. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MOOIPLAATS
15. PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS FOR WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FARMS AT MASETLWE
16. REVITALIZATION OF WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LUSERN
17. WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE MAFATOABOKGWALE PROJECT
These 17 reports are sumarised in the report 'Progress Report Summarising Dams for Africa’s involvement in various RESIS Projects in Limpopofor the Period October through December 2004'.