List of Water Management Areas explained

Water Management Areas (WMAs) are parts of South Africa that are managed by Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs). A CMA is established in terms of the National Water Act of 1998. (As of December 2020 only two CMAs have been established).

The list should be complete, and in accordance with the definitions of the Department of Water Affairs. Apart from these WMAs they also have a number of Water Drainage Areas (some dams are only used for drainage, some seem to be used for both).

List of Water Management Areas

Name of WMA Gross capacity x10³M³ Nr. Main rivers Location
Berg Water Management Area416 19Berg River, Diep River and Steenbras RiverAround Cape Town, Western Cape
Breede Water Management Area1 039 18Breede River, Riviersonderend River, Sout River, Bot River and Palmiet RiverAround Cape Aghulas, Western Cape
Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area8143Crocodile River and Marico RiverMostly North West
726 15Great Fish River, Kowie River, Boesmans River, Sundays River, Gamtoos River, Kromme River, Tsitsikamma River and Groot RiverWestern part of Eastern Cape
261 16Gouritz River, Olifants River, Kamanassie River, Gamka River, Buffels River, Touws River, Goukou River and Duiwenhoks RiverEastern part of Western Cape
Inkomati Water Management Area1 049 5Komati River and Crocodile RiverEastern Mpumalanga
Limpopo Water Management Area281 1Limpopo River, Matlabas River, Mokolo River, Lephalala River, Mogalakwena River, Sand River, Nzhelele River and Nwanedi RiverLimpopo province
Lower Orange Water Management Area36 14Ongers River, Hartbees River and Orange RiverMostly Northern Cape
Lower Vaal Water Management Area106 10Harts River, Molopo River and Vaal RiverNorth West and northern Northern Cape
Luvubu and Letaba Water Management Area652 2Mutale River, Luvuvhu River and Letaba RiverNortheast Limpopo
Middle Vaal Water Management Area1 673 9Mooi River, Vet River and Vaal RiverNorthwest Free State
Mvoti to Umzimkulu Water Management Area806 11Mvoti River, Tongaat River, Mdloti River, Ohlanga river, Umgeni River, Sterkspruit River, Lovu River, Umkomazi River, Mzimayi River, Umzimkulu River, Mtamvuna RiverAround Durban
Mzimvubu to Keiskamma Water Management Area1 070 Swane River, Mntafufu River, Mzimvubu River, Mngazi River, Mtata River, Xora River, Mbashe River, Nqabara River, Gqunube River, Buffalo River, Nahoon River, Groot Kei RiverRest of Eastern Cape
Olifants Water Management Area1 074 4Elands River, Wilge River, Steelpoort River and Olifants RiverSouthern part of Limpopo, northern Mpumalanga
Olifants/Doorn Water Management Area128 17Olifants River, Doorn River, Krom River, Sand River, and Sout RiverWestern Cape north of Cape Town
Thukela Water Management Area1 110 7Thukela RiverWestern KwaZulu-Natal
Upper Orange WMA11 566 13Modder River, Riet River, Caledon River and Orange RiverSouthern Free State
Upper Vaal WMA5 630 8 Wilge River, Liebenbergsvlei River and Vaal RiverGauteng, northern Free State, southern Mpumalanga
Usutu to Mhlatuze Water Management Area3 2836Usutu River, Pongola River, Mhlatuze River, Mfolozi River and Mkuze RiverNorthern KwaZulu-Natal

See also

References