Keerom Farm Nema Section 24g Rectification Process – Enlargement of Middelplaas and Appelkoos Dams and Associated Works, Koo Valley

KEEROM FARM NEMA SECTION 24G RECTIFICATION PROCESS – ENLARGEMENT OF MIDDELPLAAS AND APPELKOOS DAMS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS, KOO VALLEY, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FORM IN TERMS OF SECTION 24G OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT (NEMA) (107 OF 1998) AND NOTIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DOCUMENT FOR COMMENT

S24G ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS:

DEA&DP Ref No.: 14/2/4/1/B1/11/0017/20

Heritage Western Cape Ref No.: 19032601SB1002E

The Applicant (Willou Fruit (Pty) Ltd) wishes to apply for the rectification of the unlawful enlargement of Middelplaas Dam and associated works. The Middelplaas Dam was constructed in 2017 and is an on-channel dam with a wall height of 12.5m, and a storage capacity of 83 613 m³. Associated pipeline works included a 160mm diameter pipe (approx. 1.1km in length) that connects Middelplaas Dam to western irrigation areas connected to existing pipe network and a 160mm diameter pipe with a length of 1.2km from Witwater diversion works to Middelplaas Dam. In 2017 and 2018 respectively, 9.1ha of irrigation areas were established on the western Witwater side of the farm and 6.5ha of irrigation areas cleared on the eastern Boplaas side of the farm. Appelkoos Dam was repaired in 2014 after a wall breach by backfilling the breached section and providing a new outlet pipe. Enlargement of this dam commenced in 2017 during the drought but was not completed. The proposed completed enlargement of Appelkoos Dam would involve the raising of the dam wall by approximately 1.5 m and a proposed increase in storage capacity from 37 500 m³ to 70 000 m³. The proposed completion of the enlargement of Appelkoos Dam would require borrowing of material from within the dam basin itself. This would include sediment that would need to be excavated from an existing erosion area in the river and from the initial borrow area used for the repair in 2014. The Applicant proposed to complete the two in-stream culvert replacements, comprising of reinforced concrete headwalls (approx. 1.2m high with a base slab of 1.5m by 1.5m) on behalf of the Local Roads Authority.

Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants has been appointed by Willou Fruit (Pty) Ltd to undertake the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment process for the project (in this case a Section 24G process) in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (No. 107 of 1998), as amended, EIA Regulations (2014).

The Pre-Application S24G Application Form has been made available to the public for review for a 60 day comment period from 18 May 2021 to 19 July 2021, and is downloadable via the link below. Potential Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs) have 60 days, i.e. until 19 July 2021, to register as I&APs and raise any initial issues or concerns related to the proposed project and the aforementioned documents. Any comments received from I&APs will be incorporated into a Comments and Response Report CRR(1) and included in the updated S24G Application Form, following which the Application will be submitted to the DEA&DP.

Should you have any comments, issues or concerns regarding the proposed project or the findings of the Pre-Application S24G Application Form, please provide your comments in writing to Melanie Van Niekerk of Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants, by email, fax or post (Fax: 086 653 1765, email: mvanniekerk@hollandandassociates.net or post: PO Box 31108, Tokai, 7966), on or before 19 July 2021.