Browsing by Author "Pieters, Bernardus Lambertus"

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    A hydrogeological study of the Kasteelberg Mountain aquifer, Western Cape, South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Pieters, Bernardus Lambertus; De Clercq, W. P.; Roychoudhury, Alakendra N.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Earth Sciences.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The availability of freshwater is one of the major factors that are limiting South Africa’s development. With this in mind the area under investigation in this study forms part of the Sandspruit catchment, which is about 100 km north-east of Cape Town near the town of Riebeek Kasteel. The climate is semi-arid with a Mediterranean landscape. This study forms part of multiple studies that were initiated to assist in alleviating the crisis brought about by the continuing drought in the Western Cape Province. This study investigated the possibility of utilising the Kasteelberg Mountain, located near the town of Riebeek Kasteel, as an additional source of freshwater. The regionally fractured sandstone aquifer was the focus during the modelling, volume and porosity calculations in this hydrogeological research of the Kasteelberg Mountain Aquifer. This resulted in an estimated water reserve that can be sustainably extracted. Sustainable development is needed to protect the sensitive ecosystems against anthropologic and climate-driven impacts. The study started with analysing the responses from water level loggers that were installed in boreholes in the study area to monitor the water fluctuations during the seasons so as to utilise this resource sustainably. During the study, the physical geology of the area was characterised. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) were used to generate maps and derive volumetric information needed to estimate water volumes, and this included the delineation of the watershed, elevation and the spatial maps of the boreholes that were monitored. A cascade model was created by using climate data collected from local weather stations and the physical character of the local sandstone to study the waterflow through the mountain. The cascade model was used to appraise its potential in runoff. Some common features between the proposed model and HYDRUS-1D runoff model are also discussed. Data was also used in the HYDRUS-1D model where the results generated were compared with the cascade model results and the measured results from fieldwork studies. The study therefore reflected on the volume of water present in the mountain aquifer and despite the area experiencing its worst drought in a century, this excess water was available for extraction.