The Umgeni River is strategically the most important in KwaZulu Natal.
Its headwaters can be traced to the uMgeni sponge, which is made up of several wetlands at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountain Range. The River is 230 kilometers long and has a catchment area of 4 430 square kilometers. It is a lifeline to nearly 6 million people. In a regular rainy season, the average yearly water consumption exceeds the catchment yield. It is only in wet years that dam levels can make some sort of recovery.
The river system is faced with a myriad of challenges, including alien and invasive plants, riverside erosion, streamside cultivation, agricultural effluent releases, sewage and factory discharge, unlawful dumping, illegal sand mining and broad-spectrum pollution.
It is forecasted that by 2027, eutrophication in Midmar Dam will reach the final stage under present conditions. The water will be totally depleted of oxygen, a dead zone that can no longer support life.
Fortunately, several people and organizations are confronting these challenging issues.