IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/afjrde/263402.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterising wetland hydrology and water quality in streams and wetlands of Khalong-la-Lithunya, Lesotho

Author

Listed:
  • Motseko, Mots'ets'e
  • Botle, Esther Mapeshoane
  • Makoae, Masopha
  • M. B. Khoeli
  • Tumelo, Nkheloane
  • Mohlamatsane, Mokhatla
  • Motlalepula, Gerard Rasekoele

Abstract

Wetland hydrology is important in understanding wetland systems, evaluating wetland functions and processes and assessing wetland conditions. Wetlands assimilate and transform pollutants and nutrients ensuring that quality water is discharged from the wetland into streams. The objective of this study was to characterise wetland hydrology and evaluate the water quality so as to determine the ecological functioning of the Khalong-la-Lithunya wetland. Wetland hydrology and water quality of the three sub-catchments were monitored from October 2015 to March 2016. Water levels in piezometers were recorded once a month and monthly water levels data for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 previously recorded by the Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho (MCA-L) project were integrated to this study’s data. Rainfall, piezometer and stream water were similarly obtained once every month. These were analysed for δ2H and δ18O water stable isotopes and water quality parameters determined. The estimated overall hydro-period of Khalong-la-Lithunya from the years 2010 to 2016 was 11.4% of the sampled time. The wetland showed delayed response of piezometer water levels to rainfall and additional source of water to the wetland through sub-surface flow. The isotopic composition of piezometer and stream water showed that the water gets stored in the wetland before being discharged to the stream leading to a positive interaction between ground and surface water. Most water quality parameters (Na, pH, Mg, PO4 , COD, BOD, NO3, K, Ca, EC) were higher in streams than in piezometers and were mostly within WHO permissible limits. There was a poorer water quality index in streams (59.71) when compared to that of piezometers (53.67). The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the parameters that were responsible for the variation in water quality were related to natural hydro-chemical processes, anthropogenic factors and geology and soil constituents. Temporally most parameters were highest during dry months. Due to a short hydro-period, a delayed interaction between surface and ground water and a poorer stream water quality index, it is concluded that the wetland was not in a good condition. Thus, it is not adequately performing its ecological function.

Suggested Citation

  • Motseko, Mots'ets'e & Botle, Esther Mapeshoane & Makoae, Masopha & M. B. Khoeli & Tumelo, Nkheloane & Mohlamatsane, Mokhatla & Motlalepula, Gerard Rasekoele, 2017. "Characterising wetland hydrology and water quality in streams and wetlands of Khalong-la-Lithunya, Lesotho," African Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), AFrican Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), vol. 2(1), March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:afjrde:263402
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.263402
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/263402/files/11%20Mot%27ets%27e%27s%20M.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/263402/files/11%20Mot%27ets%27e%27s%20M.pdf?subformat=pdfa
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.263402?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Godfrey R.A. Dunkley, 2000. "Republic of South Africa," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(5), pages 299-311, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ishmael Festus Jaja & Borden Mushonga & Ezekiel Green & Voster Muchenje, 2017. "A Quantitative Assessment of Causes of Bovine Liver Condemnation and Its Implication for Food Security in the Eastern Cape Province South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Mamabolo R. M. & Beichelt F. E., 2004. "Maintenance Policies with Minimal Repair," Stochastics and Quality Control, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 143-166, January.
    3. Pierre Mukheibir, 2008. "Water Resources Management Strategies for Adaptation to Climate-Induced Impacts in South Africa," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 22(9), pages 1259-1276, September.
    4. Nadir ALTINOK, 2015. "Une éducation pour tous de qualité: une analyse statistique sur les pays d'Afrique sub-saharienne," Economies et Sociétés (Serie 'Histoire Economique Quantitative'), Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), issue 50, pages 919-950, Juin.
    5. Kaisa Alavuotunki, 2015. "General budget support, health expenditures, and neonatal mortality rate," WIDER Working Paper Series 108, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Gaunt, C.T., 2008. "Electricity distribution industry restructuring in South Africa: A case study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 3448-3459, September.
    7. Maligana Mathe, 2017. "Socio-demographic factors affecting utilization of Antenatal Care Services in Botswana," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(9), pages 477-520, September.
    8. Gavin Capps, 2012. "Victim of its own success? The platinum mining industry and the apartheid mineral property system in South Africa's political transition," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(131), pages 63-84, January.
    9. Abraham Klaasen, 2020. "The quest for socio‐economic rights: The rule of law and violent protest in South Africa," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 478-484, May.
    10. Amanda Alexander, 2012. "‘A disciplining method for holding standards down’: how the World Bank planned Africa's slums," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(134), pages 590-613, December.
    11. Motlalepula, Gerard Rasekoele & Botle, Mapeshoane & Makoae, Masopha & Makhala, Khoeli & Nkheloane, Tumelo & Molefe, Mokhatla & Thabo, Motsoane & Mots’ets’e Motseko, 2017. "Mapping spatial variability of hydric soil properties to delineate Khalong-la-lithunya wetlands," African Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), AFrican Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), vol. 2(2), June.
    12. Gezani Mazibuko, 2020. "Public Sector Procurement Practice: A Leadership Brainteaser in South Africa," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9.
    13. Shiferraw, A. & McCartney, Matthew, 2008. "Investigating environmental flow requirements at the source of the Blue Nile River," Conference Papers h041853, International Water Management Institute.
    14. Elizabeth Muller & Rudi Pretorius & Vasna Ramasar & Marian Jane Patrick & Chantal Will & Michelle Binedell, 2006. "Reporting On The State Of The Environment: South African Experiences," Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 8(02), pages 111-134.
    15. Inga Jacobs, 2012. "A community in the Orange: the development of a multi-level water governance framework in the Orange-Senqu River basin in Southern Africa," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 187-210, May.
    16. James Cullis & Ken Strzepek & Mark Tadross & Karim Sami & Beyers Havenga & Burgert Gildenhuys & Joel Smith, 2011. "Incorporating climate change into water resources planning for the town of Polokwane, South Africa," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 108(3), pages 437-456, October.
    17. M Oosthuizen & C Thornhill, 2017. "The grant system of financing the South African local government sphere: Can sustainable local government be promoted?," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 32(5), pages 433-450, August.
    18. Bennett, M., 2003. "Organizing in the informal economy : a case study of the clothing industry in South Africa," ILO Working Papers 993581553402676, International Labour Organization.
    19. Haroon Bhorat & Carlene van der Westhuizen & Sumayya Goga, 2009. "Analysing Wage Formation in the South African Labour Market: The Role of Bargaining Councils," Working Papers 09135, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    20. Warshawsky Daniel N., 2015. "The Perpetual Uncertainty of Civil Society: Case Study of an Anti-Hunger Organization in South Africa," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 91-109, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Land Economics/Use;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:afjrde:263402. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://afjrd.org/jos/index.php/afjrd/index .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.