Drawing a line in the sand

Using natural materials to assist in the rehabilitation of badly eroded areas around the Brandvlei Dam near Worcester in the southern Western Cape
by Anso le Roux
ABOVE: An eroded four-wheel drive track leading down a steep slope towards the Brandvlei Dam, March 2006. BELOW: The same track in April 2010 showing how the width and depth slowly improve as a result of sand accumulated by vegetation growth. Photos: Anso le Roux.

he vast area currently covered by the Brandvlei Dam near Worcester was formerly part of an ancient floodplain to the south of the Breede River. This floodplain is characterized by thick layers of alluvial deposit and extends from south of the town of Worcester in the direction of Villiersdorp. Aerial photographs from 1942 portray a braided network of rivers and rivulets draining the mountains to the south of the Brandvlei Dam where the Holslootand Smalblaar Rivers originate. The lower reaches of these rivers historically flowed over the same floodplain in a northerly direction and became part of the Breede River in the area where the Brandvlei Dam is today. Winter run-off from these two rivers, stored in the Brandvlei Dam, supplies irrigation water to farms in the Robertson district. A range of hills north of the dam is wedged between two floodplains, the above mentioned floodplain to the south, and the Breede River to the north. Over the ages, strong south-easterly and
VELD&FLOrA | MARCH 2012

north-westerly prevailing winds carrying alluvium sand from these floodplains resulted in the accumulation of windblown sand in several areas on the slopes of the hills north of the dam. Windblown sand deposits of various depths, from just a thin layer to several metres deep, on top of clay or loam soils derived from the Witteberg geological series of the Cape Supergroup, are characteristic of the area.

A knowledge of sand tactics is essential

Alluvial sand-transport to the environs of these hills is now minimal due to the transformation of vast areas of former floodplains into agricultural farmland, canalization of the former braided river systems and permanent inundation of the vast southern floodplain by the Brandvlei Dam. These factors facilitated the stabilization of the larger Breede River floodplain area as well as the wind-

34

ABOVE RIGHT: Before: An extensively eroded track in March 2006. ABOVE: After: The same track after the first rehabilitation attempt in September 2007. RIGHT: Grass and restio species have become established in a badly eroded track three years after the start of rehabilitation. Photos: Anso le Roux.

accumulated sandy patches of the range of hills mentioned earlier, with vegetation colonizing the deposits. However, recently the natural vegetation of the area around the Brandvlei Dam has been considerably degraded, mostly from irresponsible recreational four-wheel driving. This damages the vegetation cover on the steep, sand-covered slopes, resulting in an extensive network of bare sandy tracks. Frequent driving, together with water and wind erosion, rapidly turned these tracks into deep, eroded trenches because the loose sand is so unstable and dependant on the protection that vegetation cover provides. Because of the aridity of the area, vegetation recovery is a slow process. Strong prevailing north-westerly and south-easterly winds exacerbate erosion and prevent vegetation from establishing in

the sandy tracks. As ditches become deeper, they thus also become wider and wider as more sand is carried downwards along the slope. The trenches become longer as the vegetation at their upper end is undermined and collapses with consequential erosion of the trenches upwards. Sand reclamation and stabilization has long been a problem. More than a century ago, the British geographer Dr Vaughan Cornish, who gained a special place in the scientific world for his study of waves, wave processes and landforms, stated that the reclamation of tracts of blown sand is a practical art destined to be of immense importance. For the development of the art, a knowledge of sand tactics is essential, but not in itself sufficient. In our case, urgent measures were needed to mitigate the continuous negative impacts on the network of bare sandy tracks.

Erosion category Extensive Vegetation completely destroyed, track clearly visible. Sand destabilized and highly mobile. Deep eroded trenches with exposed walls due to wind and water erosion as well as colluvium movement of sand down-slope High Vegetation completely destroyed track clearly visible. Sand destabilized and highly mobile. Moderate Vegetation degraded, not completely destroyed, but track clearly visible. Sand destabilized, but not highly mobile due to remaining fragments of vegetation.

We needed to: Stop the vehicle access to the area. Stabilize the sand where vegetation cover is damaged or destroyed and prevent the erosion trenches from becoming longer, deeper and wider. Create favourable conditions for the accumulation of dust and sand in the trenches. Create favourable conditions for seedlings of pioneer vegetation to settle and stabilize the sand for the establishment of perennial vegetation in the later stages of secondary succession. Stop further erosion by stabilizing and vegetating the trenches as the filling of deep trenches is not possible due to minimal sand being transported into the area. Advocate environmental awareness by pointing out how off-road driving damages vegetation cover, especially in sensitive environments. The rehabilitation process The scale of the erosion was assessed on a visit to the site in March 2006 where three areas were identified. We placed them in three categories extensive, high and moderate. (See box on left.)
MARCH 2012 | VELD&FLOrA 35

The main access road to the immediate erosion area was closed off using wooden poles and wire to create a barrier. An entrance gate at the main entrance to the dam was constructed to control access to the area and a signboard prohibiting off-road driving was requested and put up by the Department of Water and Forestry. To minimize costs, we used natural materials in the form of brush packing, which consisted of tied brush-bundles (stakes tied into bundles of various sizes), as well as a packed layer of brush and mulching. These, we hoped, would help to decrease the mobility of destabilized sand, facilitate the accumulation of sand, stabilize the ditches and allow vegetation to grow. Brush-packing with natural material assists with soil moisture retention (which is very important when dealing with erosion in deep sand which drains well and dries out quickly; especially in frequent strong windy conditions as in our case). It also decreases soil temperature and thereby improves the microclimate for germinating plants. As soil and organic material particles collect against the network of branches and material lying on the surface, soil and humus movement in run-off (especially important in cases of erosion down a steep slope) is restricted. It protects the soil against the effects of wind erosion and serves to trap windblown sand grains. It eventually decays and contributes to the organic content of the topsoil. It traps wind-blown plant seeds and creates cover habitat for animals that contribute to soil and habitat condition. This treatment on bare, exposed soil stimulates the protective effect of a plant cover which is the preferred goal of this rehabilitation project. Alien invasive Port Jackson (Acacia saligna) and Black Wattle (A. mearnsii), cleared from the sides of the tarred road between Worcester and Rawsonville, were used for making the brush-bundles for primary packing into water retention furrows. Finer leaved Renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocerotis), cut from a nearby strip intended for a firebreak, was used for secondary packing in between the brush-bundles. Branches of Renosterbos provide an excellent ground covering and mulch material as the fine leaved branches form a thin protective layer that traps dust, sand and seeds, retains moisture and protects the ground from wind exposure while letting sunlight and air through to ensure germination of seeds and successful plant growth. Implementation Loose sand is only stable at less than a certain angle of slope whereby an increase in the angle would trigger movement. Reduction of the angle to where the slope is stable and no movement of sand grains occurs (referred to as the angle of rest) is an important aspect when rehabilitating destabilized sand down steep slopes. The angle of rest depends on the grain size, grain size sorting and particle shapes under different conditions such as different moisture contents of the sand. Erosion takes place when,

at some point, the internal shear strength of the sand is overcome and the grains begin to move due to an exceeded angle of rest, or are carried in suspension by water, or lifted by wind. During gravity emplacement of sand down a slope, rainwater can support the moving of grains in such a way that the grains themselves may show behaviour similar to that of a fluid. The intensity of rain affects the mobility of sand. Although the area normally receives rain in winter, co-inciding with the growing season when canopy cover diminishes the intensity of raindrops on the ground, rain intensity varies and thunderstorms may sometimes occur in autumn. Water retention furrows therefore need to be deep enough to provide stability to the brush-bundle, but not too deep to accumulate water that could put pressure on the down-slope retention humps. The breaking of only one retention hump could significantly increase flooding down-slope and result in large amounts of sand being carried away in suspension, thereby destroying months of veld reclamation. Branches of the cleared (seedless) alien invasive plants were cut into lengths equal to the width of the erosion trench, and tied with soft wire in brush-bundles of approximately 500 mm in cross section. For the deep trenches, thicker bundles were made.

ABOVE: The covering of packed brush-bundles and in-between mulch on a bare track with pioneer vegetation establishing after the first rehabilitation attempt. BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT: A low-slope in March 2006 (left) and the same slope two years later, in December 2008 (right). Photos: Anso le Roux.

36

VELD&FLOrA | MARCH 2012

Water retention furrows were dug at more or less two metre intervals across the length of the erosion trenches. The depth of these furrows was made according to the depth of the specific eroded area and the thickness of the brush-bundles, assuring that approximately a third of the bundle fitted comfortably in the furrow. The sand from these furrows was positioned at the downslope side of the furrow. The brush-bundles were pinned into the furrows with sticks and were secured to wooden poles driven into the sand across the ditch at regular intervals. The brush was laid horizontally across the ditches in the slope, starting from the top working downwards. Where possible, the bundles were packed up to the height of the ditches, the idea being that windblown sand would accumulate with time to reduce the angle of slope in steep eroded areas and accomplish the specific angle of rest for this type and sorting of sand. Once the sand becomes stable the vegetation is given a chance to establish. The bare open spaces between the brush-bundles were covered with Renosterbos branches, secured in the sand with pegs driven in deep enough to hold the brush mattress in place allowing windblown sand to settle and accumulate in the ditches. Seeds harvested from surrounding vegetation could have been sown in the area, but the adjacent vegetation was deemed to be an adequate natural source. A piece of veld to the west of the study area was burned under controlled conditions in April 2009 and this burnt area acts as a firebreak to protect the slow process of veld reclamation in the rehabilitation site. Monitoring The progress of re-establishing vegetation at the site is monitored annually by noting and taking photographs. The veld was deemed satisfactory if pioneer plants had established a groundcover and the process of secondary succession had started, if sand mobility had been stopped or considerably reduced and if the rehabilitated area was in an advanced stage of secondary succession with perennial plants establishing themselves in the eroded parts. If pioneer plants had not established a satisfactory groundcover and if the process of secondary succession had started, but was being impaired, the reclamation was regarded as being unsuccessful. If sand mobility had not been considerably reduced and was impairing the establishment of vegetation or if extensive bare areas still occurred, then the area was deemed in need of follow-up rehabilitation. Was it a success? The most important aspect of this rehabilitation attempt was the establishment of adequate vegetation cover. None of the tracks,

ABOVE AND BELOW: A deeply eroded channel in March 2006 (above) and in December 2008 (below) showing the brush-bundles totally covered with sand, and vegetation establishing well on the sides of the channel. Photos: Anso le Roux.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? alluvium A deposit of clay, silt, sand, and gravel left by flowing streams in a river valley or delta. braided rivers A network of converging and diverging streams separated from each other by narrow strips of sand and gravel. brush Branches with leafy material. canopy The top layer of a forest or wooded ecosystem. colluvium Unconsolidated deposits of soil and/or rock fragments that accumulate at the bottom of slopes due to gravity. floodplain An area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding. pioneer plant Plant species capable of colonizing disturbed sites first. secondary succession The recolonization process of a former natural community that has already supported life but has undergone disturbance. stolon A horizontal stem produced just below soil level from the base of the mother plant, resulting in a new plant at the tip.

channels or deep trenches had deteriorated. Established plants accumulate more and more sand as they grow and the canopy cover that plants provide protects bare areas from wind as well as trapping moisture. Plant roots improve stability by binding the sand, especially so with species with creeping stolons such as Ehrharta villosa and Cynanchum africanum. Surprisingly, some of the deep areas are slowly but surely filling up as plants trap sand with consequential sand mounds growing as the plants grow. Although some of the deep trenches would still benefit from follow-up protection, the methods used proved to be sufficient. The goal of this reclamation project was largely achieved as loss of sand in the larger part of the area was stopped, and sufficient vegetation cover stabilized the trenches. With time, most of the packed brush-bundles were covered with sand to various degrees (some completely covered), which emphasizes the outstanding sand-trapping capacity of secured brush packing and the positive contribution it made to veld reclamation under difficult circumstances.

GET CONNECTED Contact the author at anso@compnet.co.za. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mr M.B. Bayer, Mr G. Mortimer, Mr E. Weidemann and Mr G. Van Rhyn. READING Collinson, J.D. & Thompson, D.B. 1989. Sedimentary structures. Second Edition. Unwin Hyman, London. Coetzee, K. 2005. Caring for natural rangelands. University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, Scottsville. Cornish, V. 1897. On the formation of sand-dunes. The Geographical Journal 9(3), 278-302.
MARCH 2012 | VELD&FLOrA 37