Flood damage - what now?
(Sien hieronder vir Afrikaans vertaaling)
July 2026
by Georgina van Biljon
This article is written as a thought piece and supplemented with further reading:
Some news articles
highlighting the historic flood event.
Practical points to consider when restoring flood-damaged farms.
The devastating floods of May 2026 left a scar across the Breede River and many other landscapes. In many areas, topsoil—the foundation of agricultural productivity—was stripped away entirely, leaving behind compacted subsoil, unstable sediment deposits, destruction river banks and other valuable infrastructure washed away. For affected farmers, the challenge now is not just recovery, but long-term rehabilitation.
While the scale of damage may seem overwhelming, experience from restoration projects across South Africa shows that degraded land can recover—often becoming more resilient if rebuilt correctly.
Immediate priorities of farmers would be to replacing damaged infrastructure, cleaning out sediments and stabilising riverbanks or berms. However, if a berm or crops etc. keep washing away in frequent floods, one needs to consider if this an effective use of resources over the long term?
We work with farmers to rehabilitate the rivers and have noticed since the recent flood that some farmers are considering cutting their losses with the orchards that experience damage (over multiple years) and potentially ‘giving the river more space’.
Most people don’t always plan for the 1 in a 100 year flood, meaning the man-made riverbanks or berms near the rivers not always designed at a height that can handle such massive flooding events. Building berms or ‘dykes’ that can handle these bigger floods is costly, as engineers and other specialist need to be involved. Just contracting an engineer to design these structures can cost between R500 000 to into the millions, depending on the hectares. That is not even the earthmoving costs of large machinery.
One forgets that flooding events can also be a blessing – look at the annual flooding of the Nile, bringing fertile sediments and water for crops. The problem with these recent floods is the combination of the high water speed/ velocity and unpredictability that is so devastating.
So how can we combat these driving forces of nature? Imagine trying to stop a fast- moving truck on a highway. Challenging and very dangerous! So the work needs to start before the truck reaches the highway and picks up speed. The same with rivers, start with a broader view of catchment management which may slow down the water reaching the river.
Practical considerations for long term management for large flooding events:
1. Understanding the river system. Catchments are the whole area that a river drains from. What happens upstream or in the catchment will affect downstream. Work with your Local Irrigation Board and other farmers to manage the system as a whole. Ask the irrigation board to invite specialists to provide information on how to tackle the problems you are facing in your catchment. Specialists are more likely to come out and provide information to a group, than an individual. Team up, share costs and try to win issues collectively through patience and understanding.
2. Often secondary river channels are seen as a waste of space in agricultural land. They are filled in, channelised (made narrower) or drained. These channels are very important buffers to flooding and can help slow the speed of water in the main channel. One needs to look at the condition of your secondary channels. Are they closed up or filled in? One can look at historical photos and see where natural depressions are running nearby to the river. Historical photos can be found at: https://ngigeoportal.dlrrd.gov.za/cdngiportal/
3. Provide buffer zones with enough space for these secondary channels with natural riparian vegetation to slow down the speed of water. If there are alien invasive trees that are blocking up the channel, it is best to remove them and then rehabilitate with specific local indigenous plants that can slow speed, but not block or choke channels. Channel maintenance is important and the balance can make a big difference. If your channels are completely bare, they can increase the velocity. If they are choked up, they can topple banks and cause destruction in orchards. Understanding plant species is key to finding the balance (see point 6 below).
Photo above: Planting of Palmiet and opening of secondary channels on the Klein Berg River
3. Invasive Alien Plant Management. Large invasive trees have a tendency of channelising the rivers and causing incision of the banks (deepening them). Channelisation and deepening of banks increases flow velocity, which is one of the main drivers of flood damage. By law one needs to remove invasive trees from riverbanks and continue to keep the river free of invasive plants. If one removes invasives from river banks, one needs to rehabilitate the bare ground as soon as possible with the local indigenous riparian plants or seeds. Invasive plant biomass cannot remain on the banks, as the logs and biomass can clog up the rivers in floods.
4. Land use practices have an influence on water runoff and soil conservation. What percentage of your soil is bare vs. covered? When last did you check for signs of overgrazing? Dept. of Agriculture (Landcare) can assist in checking carrying capacity of land so that one does not denude our fields through over stocking. If you have large areas of bare ground, one can consider seeding to assist with ground cover protection mechanisms. Other temporary measures are mulching, geotextiles, cutting of branches and laying them over bare ground to soften the impact of the heavy rains.
5. Moving out of the flood plain makes sense, but is not always practical especially if you have limited space to farm. Orchards in the flood plain can be a liability if more frequent flooding occurs. Investing in land on higher ground may be more worth while than fixing up crop damage on a regular basis in the flood plain.
6. Role of plants. Plants can be seen as bio-engineers that can buffer flood impacts. Planting riverbanks with indigenous plants to slow down speed and stabilise them is possible, however this is depending on the local context. Some banks get hit hard more than others depending on the flow of the river. One needs to understand the hydrolics and hydrology dynamics in order to buffer impacts. Otherwise you may plant plants on a bank and shortly after they get washed away on the next flood. This doesn’t mean that you should not plant plants or sow seeds on river banks, one just needs to be strategic about it and possibly involve a specialist to guide the process.
Riparian plants can grow incredibly strong root structures. After the massive floods near Wolseley there are still Palmiet plants (Prionium serratum) in the middle of the river and looking good. How do they survive and the agricultural lands not? Because they are adapted to these conditions over thousands of years – Ie. They have seen many 1 in 100 year floods. You cannot just use any plants to plant on river banks – Ie. a house plant belongs at the house and a riparian plant belongs at the river. Riparian plants are generally re-sprouters (if a branch breaks off, it re-shoots), are usually very flexible and have strong roots that can twist between rocks and anchor themselves well.
Sowing of indigenous seeds on disturbed river banks is a more cost effective way to establish plants.
7. To invest in the river (through rehabilitation) does not necessarily have a direct monetary return (as does farming), however if you don’t invest and allow the rivers to get further degraded, the river will become more of a liability and cause further destruction in time.
Rivers deliver amazing ecosystem services. A healthy river can filter sediments and remove nutrients and other chemicals (Rebelo et al. 2019). Clean water is a very necessary resource that is worth looking after. How to spend you time and resources wisely is quiet challenging as a farmer. We need all the help we can get.
See a related blog post: Repairing environmental damage: restore to what?
Here are some free resources on river rehabilitation: https://www.lizdayconsulting.co.za/resources
Some practical guidelines on our blog: https://www.greenintaba.co.za/post/repairing-environmental-damage-restore-to-what
Invasive Alien Plants(IAPs): www.invasives.org.za https://www.environment.gov.za/projectsprogrammes/wfw Indigenous plants: http://pza.sanbi.org/
References:
Rebelo, A.J., Morris, C., Meire, P. & Esler, K.J. (2019) Ecosystem services provided by South African palmiet wetlands: A case for investment in strategic water source areas. Ecological Indicators 101, 71-80.
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Dink hieraan as jy na ‘n vloed restourasiewerk wil doen
Die verwoestende vloede van Mei vanjaar het ‘n litteken oor groot dele van die Wes-Kaap gelaat.
In baie gebiede is die bogrond – die basis van landbouproduksie – heeltemal weggespoel, en het net saamgepakte ondergrond, onstabiele sedimentafsettings, beskadigde rivieroewers en ander waardevolle infrastruktuur wat weggespoel het, agtergebly. Vir boere wat deur die skade geraak word, is die uitdaging nou nie net herstel nie, maar langtermyn rehabilitasie.
Alhoewel die omvang van die skade oorweldigend mag lyk, toon ervaring uit herstelprojekte regoor Suid-Afrika dat verswakte en beskadigde grond kan herstel en dikwels meer veerkragtig gemaak word as dit reg gerestoureer word.
Onmiddellike prioriteite vir boere sou wees om beskadigde infrastruktuur te vervang, sediment te verwyder en rivieroewers of walle te stabiliseer. As ‘n wal of gewasse gereeld in vloede wegspoel, moet ‘n mens begin wonder of dit op die duur doeltreffende gebruik van hulpbronne is.
Ons werk saam met boere om riviere te rehabiliteer en het sedert die onlangse vloed opgemerk dat sommige boere dit oorweeg om hul verliese te beperk met boorde wat oor vele jare skade opdoen, om dalk die rivier meer ruimte te gee.
Die meeste mense beplan nie altyd vir ‘n 1-in-‘n-100-jaar-vloed nie. Dit beteken dat mensgemaakte rivieroewers of walle naby die riviere nie altyd ontwerp word op ‘n hoogte wat sulke enorme vloedgebeurtenisse kan hanteer nie. Om walle of dyke wat groter vloede kan hanteer, te bou, is duur omdat ingenieurs en ander spesialiste betrokke moet wees. Net die aanstelling van 'n ingenieur om hierdie strukture te ontwerp, kan na gelang van die oppervlakkte, R500 000 tot miljoene rand kos, en dit sluit nog nie die grondverskuiwingskoste van groot masjinerie in nie.
‘n Mens vergeet dat vloedgebeurtenisse ook 'n seën kan wees. ‘n Goeie voorbeeld is die jaarliks vloed in die Nyl wat vrugbare sedimente en water vir gewasse bring. Die probleem met die onlangse vloede in Suid-Afrika is die kombinasie van die hoë waterspoed en onvoorspelbaarheid wat so verwoestend is.
Hoe bekamp ons hierdie dryfkragte van die natuur? Stel jou voor jy probeer 'n vinnigbewegende vragmotor op ‘n snelweg tot stilstand bring. Dit is moeilik en baie gevaarlik. Die werk moet dus begin vóórdat die vragmotor die snelweg bereik en spoed optel. Dieselfde geld vir riviere: Begin met 'n breër beskouing van bestuursmaatreëls in die opvanggebied wat die water wat die rivier bereik, kan vertraag.
Die volgende praktiese aspekte moet oorweeg word as langtermynbestuursplanne vir riviere en opvanggebiede opgestel word om slag beskerming te bied teen groot vloedgebeure:
1. Verstaan die rivierstelsel. Opvanggebiede is die hele gebied waaruit ‘n rivier dreineer. Wat stroomop of in die opvanggebied gebeur, sal ‘n uitwerking stroomaf hê. Werk saam met jou plaaslike besproeiingsraad en ander boere om die stelsel in sy geheel te bestuur. Vra die besproeiingsraad om spesialiste te nooi om inligting te verskaf oor hoe om die probleme in jou opvanggebied aan te pak. Spesialiste is meer geneig om uit te kom en inligting aan ‘n groep te verskaf as aan 'n individu. Werk saam, deel kostes en probeer kwessies gesamentlik oplos deur geduld en begrip.
2. Sekondêre rivierkanale word dikwels as ‘n vermorsing van ruimte op landbougrond beskou. Hulle word opgevul, smaller gemaak of gedreineer. Hierdie kanale is baie belangrike buffers teen vloede en kan help om die spoed van water in die hoofkanaal te vertraag. ‘n Mens moet na die toestand van jou sekondêre kanale kyk, is hulle toegemaak of opgevul? Kyk ook na ou foto’s om te sien waar natuurlike laagtes naby die rivier loop. Historiese foto’s kan gevind word by https://ngigeoportal.dlrrd.gov.za/cdngiportal/
3. Sorg vir buffersones met genoeg ruimte vir sekondêre kanale waarop natuurlike rivierplante groei om die spoed van water te vertraag. As daar uitheemse indringerbome is wat die kanaal versper, is dit die beste om hulle te verwyder en dan te rehabiliteer met spesifieke plaaslike inheemse plante wat spoed kan vertraag, maar nie kanale sal versper of verstik nie. Kanaalonderhoud is belangrik en die balans kan ‘n groot verskil maak. As jou kanale heeltemal kaal is, kan hulle die snelheid van water verhoog. As hulle verstik is, kan hulle walle omgooi en verwoesting in boorde veroorsaak. Om die regte plantsoorte te verstaan, is dit belangrik om ‘n balans te vind (sien punt 7).
4.Bestuur van indringerplante. Groot indringerbome is geneig om riviere te kanaliseer en die walle te laat insny (dit wil sê, dit te verdiep). Kanalisering en verdieping van walle verhoog die vloeisnelheid, wat een van die hoofoorsake van vloedskade is. Volgens die wet (NEMBA Act 10 of 2004 and CARA Act 43 of 1983) moet indringerbome van rivierwalle verwyder word en moet die rivier voortdurend vry van indringerplante gehou word. As indringerplante van rivierwalle verwyder word, moet die kaal grond so gou moontlik gerehabiliteer deur plaaslike inheemse oewerplante of -saad. Indringerplant-biomassa mag nie op die walle agterbly nie, aangesien die stompe en biomassa riviere tydens vloede kan verstop.
5.Grondgebruikspraktyke het ‘n invloed op waterafloop en grondbewaring. Wat kyk hierna watter persentasie van jou grond is kaal teenoor bedek? Wanneer laas het jy tekens van oorbeweiding nagegaan? Die Departement van Landbou se LandCare-direktoraat kan help om die drakrag van die grond te kontroleer sodat veld nie deur oorbeweiding ontbloot word nie. As jy groot kaal kolle in jou veld het, kan dit help om gewasse te saai om die grond te bedek. Ander tydelike maatreëls sluit in deklae, geotekstiele, die sny van takke en die neerlê daarvan oor kaal grond om die impak van swaar reën te versag.
6.Om uit die vloedvlakte te trek, maak sin, maar is nie altyd prakties nie, veral as jy beperkte bewerkbare grond het. Boorde in die vloedvlakte kan ‘n las wees as vloede meer gereeld voorkom. Dit kan ook die moeite werd wees om eerder in hoërliggende grond te belê as om gereeld vloedskade te probeer herstel.
7. Die rol van plante. Plante kan as bio-ingenieurs beskou word wat die uitwerking van vloede kan buffer. Om inheemse plante te in rivierwalle te sodat dit die spoed van ‘n rivier kan inperk en dit te stabiliseer, is moontlik, maar dit hang af van die plaaslike konteks.
Na gelang van die vloei van die rivier, word party walle harder getref as ander. Daarom moet ‘n mens die hidroulika- en hidrologiedinamiek verstaan om die impakte te buffer. As jy dit nie verstaan nie, kan die plante wat jy op ‘n wal plant, maklik deur die volgende vloed weggespoel word. Dit beteken nie dat jy nie plante of saad op rivierwalle moet plante nie: ‘n Mens moet net strategies daaroor wees en moontlik ‘n spesialis betrek om die proses te lei.
Oewerplante kan ongelooflike sterk wortelstrukture ontwikkel. Na die massiewe vloede naby Wolseley is daar steeds palmietplante (Prionium serratum) in die middel van die rivier wat goed lyk. Hoe oorleef hulle terwyl die landbougronde dit nie doen nie? Omdat hulle oor duisende jare by hierdie toestande aangepas het — dit wil sê, hulle het baie 1-uit-100-jaar-vloede beleef. Jy kan nie net enige plant gebruik om op rivierwalle te plant nie: ‘n huisplant hoort by die huis en ‘n oewerplant hoort by die rivier. Oewerplante is oor die algemeen heruitspruiers (as 'n tak afbreek, loop dit weer uit), is gewoonlik baie buigsaam en het sterk wortels wat tussen rotse kan draai en hulself goed kan anker.
Om deur rehabilitasie in ‘n rivier te belê het nie noodwendig ‘n direkte monetêre opbrengs soos boerdery nie, maar as jy nie daarin belê nie en die rivier verder laat agteruitgaan, kan die rivier ‘n las word en met verloop van tyd groter skade veroorsaak.
Riviere lewer wonderlike ekostelseldienste. Alanna Rebelo en ander se artikel in Ecological Indicators in 2019 (Landbou weekblad) het bevind dat ‘n gesonde rivier sedimente kan filtreer en voedingstowwe en ander chemikalieë verwyder.
Boonop is suiwer water ‘n baie noodsaaklike hulpbron wat die moeite werd is om na om te sien.
As jy meer wil weet
Hier is verdere inligting vir die wat meer oor rivierrehabilitasie te wete wil om: https://www.lizdayconsulting.co.za/resources
Praktiese riglyne op Iintaba se blog: https://www.greenintaba.co.za/post/repairing-environmental-damage-restore-to-what
Inligting oor indringerplante: www.invasives.org.za https://www.environment.gov.za/projectsprogrammes/wfw
Inligting oor inheemse plante: http://pza.sanbi.org/
Hierdie artikel was vir Landbouweekblad geskryf -Julie 2026.
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