Hex Valley Water Users’ Association’s Request for the Adoption of a Maintenance Management Plan for the Hex River and Its Tributaries, Near De Doorns, Western Cape

HEX VALLEY WATER USERS’ ASSOCIATION’S REQUEST FOR THE ADOPTION OF A MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE HEX RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, NEAR DE DOORNS, WESTERN CAPE: NOTIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF THE ADDENDUM FOR UPDATE TO THE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR COMMENT

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS:

DEA&DP Ref No.: TBC

The Hex Valley Water Users’ Association is applying to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) for adoption of an Addendum to the Maintenance Management Plan (MMP) for the Hex River and its tributaries.

The Hex River Maintenance Management Plan (MMP) was compiled in 2014 by Southern Waters Ecological Research and Consulting cc in association with Fluvius Environmental Consultants and CCA Environmental, as part of a LandCare project. The scope of the original MMP covers, for the most part, the main stem of the Hex River (including the riparian area) from its source to its confluence with the Breede River. It incorporates into a single MMP the sections of the Hex River that flow through the jurisdictional areas of both the Hex Valley Water Users Association (HVWUA) and the Worcester East WUA. The original scope, however, excludes most of the tributaries of the Hex River and is limited to those river reaches where the relevant landowners have signed up to the MMP.

The main objective of the MMP expansion project is to amend the current MMP (by way of an addendum) so as to expand its scope to also cover maintenance activities along the tributaries of the Hex River that flow through cultivated areas within the operational area of the HVWUA. Whilst the current MMP covers five separate maintenance activities, the initial intention of the amendment was to only include two of the activities for the tributaries, namely “Sediment removal from the channel for flood conveyance/channelisation” (Activity Type 4), and “Sediment movement in the channel or on the banks for repairs to berms or banks” (Activity Type 5). Subsequently, “Sediment removal at infrastructure” (Activity Type 3) was included for a selection of eleven weirs, one diversion canal and one culvert on tributaries that are not covered by the existing MMP. In addition, “Repairs to infrastructure” (Activity Type 2) was later included in the updated MMP, specifically for the repair of the additional weirs (e.g. to address flood damage) and for the maintenance of temporary “bulk bag” structures that have been installed in certain MMP river reaches for erosion control.

Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants has been appointed by the Applicant to undertake the requisite public participation process for the proposed Maintenance Management Plan Addendum, prepared by Inland Waters Consultancy, in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (No. 107 of 1998) EIA Regulations (2014), as amended.

The Addendum to the Maintenance Management Plan is available to the public for review for a 30-day comment period and is downloadable via the link below. Potential Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs) have 30 days, i.e. until 2 December 2026 to register as I&APs and raise any issues or concerns related to the proposed project and the aforementioned documents. Comments received from I&APs will be incorporated into a Comments and Response Report (CRR) and will be included in the MMP to be submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning (DEA&DP) for adoption.

Should you have any comments, issues or concerns regarding the proposed project or the findings of the Maintenance Management Plan, please provide your comments in writing by 2 December 2026 to:

Ms Shannon Hyslop

Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants

E-mail: hexmmp.ppp@hollandandassociates.net

Post: PostNet Suite #108, Private Bag X12, Tokai, 7966

An electronic copy of the Addendum to the Maintenance Management Plan, as well as its appendices, can be downloaded via the OneDrive link below: