The Blooming State of South Africa’s Dams, Rivers and Ecosystems

Dam levels are satisfyingly high right now thanks to the good rainfalls experienced throughout South Africa. But it is a water scarce country with low rainfall and frequent droughts. This week is National Water week which serves as a reminder that the current state of many dams, rivers, and ecosystems, are less than pristine. There is a solution…

Uninterrupted algal growth can ultimately turn inflected waterbodies into dead aquatic zones. In 2015 it was estimated about 62% of South African water bodies were subject to toxic blue green algal blooms. This problem has since been well documented, raising alarm bells around the safety of South African water sources.

It is not just a local problem. Cyanobacteria, which form blue-green algae blooms in freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems, infest millions of lakes around the world.