CATCHMENT AND RIVER
MANAGEMENT
GRADE 12
GEOGRAPHY
Presented by KB DLAMINI
14 APRIL 2026
Lesson objectives
Define catchment are and river management
Identify the causes of poor river management.
Discuss the importance of river management.
Evaluate the impacts of people on drainage basins and catchment areas.
Suggest the strategies that can be implemented to manage drainage basins/catchment areas.
Continuation
…
Catchment area- A catchment
area is the entire drainage basin
of river from where it receives
water.
River management- Using river
resources in a sustainable way
so that it will still be available in
future
Causes of poor
river management
There are a variety of causes for
poor river management including
• Environmental
• Political
• Economic
• Social
Continuation…
• Not enough budget for maintenance,
monitoring, or infrastructure
improvements of sewage systems.
• Poor law enforcement that allows
more pollution.
• Illegal activities such as sand mining,
deforestation and industrial dumping.
• Pollution from industrial waste,
agricultural activities and domestic
waste.
Continuation…
• Unpredictable weather
conditions may cause drought
and flooding
• Over- extraction that affects river
flow might harm the ecosystem
• Loss of wetlands and forests that
reduces the ability of the river to
self regulate and clean itself
• Lack of public education on river
conservation
CATCHMENT AND RIVER MANAGEMENT
IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING DRAINAGE
BASINS AND CATCHMENT AREAS
• Store water and protecting for future
use.
• Reduce discharge and recycle harmful
agricultural run-off.
• Agricultural purposes e.g., crop
farming
• Industrial purposes e.g., to cool the
machines in factories and is also a
vital part of production.
• Control the flow of water to reduce the
chances of flooding.
• Domestic purposes
• Recreation e.g., water sports
Continuation…. • Generation of Hydroelectricity
• Preserve natural vegetation
• Preserve biodiversity
Impact of people on drainage basins and
catchment areas
Continuation…
Deforestation
• Increases run-off causing silt deposition in the rivers
• Biodiversity is disturbed
Continuation… Industrial Waste
• Untreated wastewater pollute ground- and Surface water
• Drinking water sources and irrigation water may be negatively affected
• Aquatic biodiversity and habitats may be destroyed
• Dumped chemicals increases eutrophication
Continuation…
Overgrazing
• Overgrazing increases soil erosion, this in turn
increases run-off which causes silting of the river
• Salinity increases and nutrients are loss
Human Settlements
• Increases waste dumping In the river decreases
water quality and leads to increased waterborne
diseases.
• Marine ecosystems and biodiversity destroyed
• Eutrophication destroys water habitats
Strategies to manage drainage basins/catchment
areas
• Legislation to control the pollution of underground water.
• Vegetation must be maintained in areas close to the river.
• legislation to control what is discharged in rivers.
• Wetlands must be maintained.
• International corporations to manage rivers that flow in more than
one country
• Educate the public on water conservation.
• Educate the farmers on sustainable farming practices.
• Deforestation must be controlled.