Real-time management of a river highly in demand

The Crocodile East River System is over-allocated and stressed because its waters are highly demanded. The river forms an important axis of life, extending eastwards from the frequently irrigated agricultural areas in north-eastern South Africa until it forms the southern border of the Kruger National Park and finally joins the Komati River on its way into Mozambique. Competing water demands together with its transnational setting make the management of the Crocodile East River very challenging. It is one of the tasks of the Inkomati Catchment Management Agency (ICMA) to make sure that there are appropriate amounts of water available for the cross-border flows to Mozambique, sufficient ecological flow to Kruger National Park and enough water to satisfy the regional needs for irrigation and industrial and domestic use.