As a water-scarce country, South Africa will need to rely increasingly on the detailed modelling of water resources to help manage the needs of its population, industries and ecosystem as well as to navigate the uncertainty of climate change.
According to SRK Consulting principal hydrologist Kerry Grimmer, this modelling is vital to the rigorous planning and careful management of the country water resources.
“Long-term water supply is assessed through hydrological and yield modelling of water resources to secure and maximise water availability and supply,” says Grimmer. “The yield of a dam, is defined as the maximum amount of water which it can supply; yield analyses are essential in developing operating rules for water supply systems, whether these are independent dams or interconnected water systems.”
Growing demands from expanding communities and developing industry needs to be considered when sizing and designing a potential dam, and complex hydrological systems must be modelled to allow careful planning and operation. Adding to the complexity of this process over the past few decades are other crucial aspects to consider in water resources modelling - to reflect current and future conditions more accurately, and to protect the environment.
