ESTUARIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Main Page	General Information	Catchment Characteristics	Ecology	Water Quality
Threats	References	Hydrodynamics and mouth dynamics	Physical Features	Climate
THUKELA ESTUARY: Land and Estuary Uses

	Residential
	1978 (Ref.1): On the north bank are gum plantations and the settlement of the “Tugela Mouth”, comprising 40-50 houses, with a camping site on the edge of the estuary. On the south bank is a smaller settlement of fishermen’s shacks (+/- 10 in number).

	Agricultural
	1978 (Ref.1): The estuary is surrounded by flat alluvial land or rolling hills, all used or the cultivation of sugar cane.
	1996 (Ref.2): About 15% of the Thukela catchment was under agriculture, comprising mainly subsistence farming, temporary commercial dryland agriculture, temporary commercial irrigated agriculture, and commercial forestry. Some sugar cane and improved grasslands were also present.
	Industrial
	1978 (Ref.1): Newcastle is predicted to become a “third Iscor” at its present rate of industrial development.
	1978 (Ref.1): The biggest pulp and paper mill in Africa , SAPPI, is situated immediately above the estuary. It consequently represents a potential source of pollution to the estuary.
	Recreation


	Conservation