GROUNDWATER
The GoFlow Project contributes to developing an integrated and shared knowledge base to foster sustainable groundwater use and recharge at the city-regional scale
governance for drought-prone cities The theme of this year’s World Water Day is ‘Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible’. As it is a vital resource in South African cities, the Water Research Commission (WRC) has funded a research project to improve the governance of groundwater flows for growing cities facing drought risks. By Jorisna Bonthuys
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he WRC has identified the need for research into the functioning, governance and sustainable management of groundwater for urban areas, giving special consideration to the wider catchment area that extends beyond the cities’ administrative boundaries. Research efforts are under way to establish a shared understanding between scientists, technical experts, decision-makers and water users on the implications of different climate and land-use scenarios on groundwater use and recharge in cities at risk of drought. GoFlow Project Called the GoFlow Project, it focuses on governing groundwater flow for growing cities facing drought risks in the context of the water system as a whole. It started in April last year and will conclude in March 2023. A research team has been put together comprising: • team lead Dr Anna Taylor from the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town (UCT) • Dr Ffion Atkins from UCT’s Department of Environmental and Geographical Science • Dr Christopher Jack from UCT’s Climate Systems Analysis Group • two master’s students.
The GoFlow Project is considering governing groundwater flows in the City of Cape Town (Cape Town and surrounds) and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area (Gqeberha and surrounds). Researchers are conducting urban water metabolism analyses for the study areas, focusing on the two metropolitan and neighbouring municipalities sharing key water sources. Researchers are quantifying the urban water cycle’s anthropogenic components (bulk supply, consumption and wastewater) and hydrological components (precipitation, evapotranspiration, run-off and recharge), and highlighting knowledge and data gaps. They will also explore urban water recharge processes under a range of likely hydrological shifts (long-term trends) and extremes (magnitude and frequency of drought), as well as urban planning and land cover scenarios for 2040-2060. Current institutional arrangements for existing governance are being analysed and multi-stakeholder ‘Learning Lab’ engagements around the applicability of the urban water metabolism analysis and these scenarios are being facilitated. Learning Labs are spaces that provide platforms for solving complex
problems. These spaces allow opportunities to assess the approach within the larger context of integrated urban water management and water-sensitive urban design. During the Learning Labs, decision-makers and stakeholders have the chance to unpack future climate risks and explore actions based on contextual concerns and opportunities. It is a relatively new field of work that combines groundwater’s biophysical and governance aspects at the cityregional scale. Background Growing urban settlements face growing urban demand and, consequently, particularly severe water provision shortfalls during droughts. In this regard, the recent multiyear drought in Cape Town (2015-2017) offers valuable insights that could help prepare other urban hubs for the realities of climate change and increased water risk. Evidence suggests that a significant part of this multiyear drought may be attributed to climate change. Therefore, more events of this nature can be expected and pose significant challenges for future water supply and the management of available resources, including groundwater. Cape Town is not the only urban hub dealing M A R/ A P R 2022
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