Loskop Dam

[Guest]

Pic's:

"Fish has been dying for four weeks now. The pathology suggests suffocation due to gill damage (see accumulation of mucus on gills). This was also supported by the fact that the blood of the fish appeared very dark, typical of oxygen depletion. Fish has not been feeding for a long time, guts are empty, and the gall was very dark suggesting that it has not eaten for some time. Mixing of the water in the dam by wind over the weekend has re-activated the mortalities again.

There are many gas bubbles visible in the dam especially near the inlet (Photo) and it appeared to be hydrogen sulphate (results not received yet) but the smell was consistent with the gas. This may be due to degassing of the accumulated sulphates in the dam combined with a complete disruption of natural microbial processes in the dam. The pathology in the fish was also consistent with hydrogen sulphate, but metals may also be involved (Al). Await further results

We also had monitors, terrapins and crocodile dying during this period. Pansteatitis was evident in one of the crocs and the terrapin.The croc in photo was weak and when we captured it, it died almost immediately. The pathology suggests that the lungs and throat were badly infected (effect of H2S gas?). Await further results.

We now have RAU, WITS, Onderstepoort and Geosciences involved and we will be doing extensive surveys and collection of samples for further analysis during September (17 -21). You are welcome to come and meet the people, if your hectic program allows you. Loskop is still very scenic from the boat with lots of animals on the shore (photo of rhino) and may be worth the effort.

50/50 account will be televised very soon, will keep you up to date.

Once we have more info we will inform you

DME and DWAF ??? (Missing in action)

Have meeting with G. Batchelor (DACE) next week and it seems that our MEC may be becoming aware of the extent of the problem (???)"

 

[Ajay]

Hey-----50/50 program was just on tonight(10th sept) . Half an hour of very depressing stuff .The knock on effect could last up to 500 years..........What a monumental F%$#%$#%$up.The water PH is so low near the mines (40kms upstream)that vast tracts of land are just dead. Very little survives in a PH of 2!!!!!This could very well hit the Kruger park at some stage sooner rather than later......Loskops problems look like they are going to get worse before they get better. What a mess.

 

[Little Green Fish]

The scary facts about this is that it seems that the root cause for the Loskop problem currently is but one small mine that was closed some years ago and the water seaping from that with it's high acidity is running into Loskop, now there was also mention of amounts (that I can't comprehend, ito why and what's gonna happen in the future) of mines that have been disengaged ito mining activities in that area (loskop's upper catchment area) and can you imagine the consequences a few years down the line when these amounts of mines (in the region of 500 +) that have been closing or closed of late's water seapage is going to have on Loskop once their underground caverns starts filling with acid water......

And yet the one dept is passing the buck to the next and back and forth it goes, whilst the environment is murdered.  Proudly South African!!!

:f1shy

 

 

[Guest]

Ecocare have visisted the dam on 3-5 September. The dam is not looking good. Especially the Olifants inlet of the dam. Many fish have died as is evident from the photos. It appears as if mainly mudfish and kurper were affected by the water quality. The carp and bass were feeding actively and does not seem to be affected. Schools of dwarf tiger were seen hunted by bass. Some barbel also have infections, but their numbers is still abundantly. A large part of the dam has a brown colour, usually caused by brown algue, especialy during autum. The pollution is caused by mine (chemical) and sewage works (organic). If something drastically is not been done, the dam is going the same route as Harties. Thanks for the involvement of more parties as mentioned and NGO's solutions could be found, I believe. However, it appears as if there is not enough political will to solve the problems.

Eco care also visited the dam last week sometime and assisted Natureconservation with a netting programme as to establish the result of the deaths. 60 tons of fish have died - but large amounts of live fish was stil netted at the inlets. Kurpers and mudfish was in good. Once again it looks like the yellowfish took the brunt and the numbers netted was extremely down on previous similar experiments. Specimen counts were done and all fih netted were release back into the dam. Fish that didn't make it was sent to Onderstepoort for analysis. Ecocare is planning to do a report in a DVD called "Fishing for Life" on the Big Fish Safari DVD series around the end of this year.