III. Results
3.1 Land and water use in the area
The characteristics of the littoral and surrounding areas of
reservoirs are presented in the Table 3.1. These characteristics are mostly
grouped in terms of littoral soil quality (pH, electroconductivity, hardness)
and colour. Electroconductivity of the soils is of an average value of 420
jiS/cm and is evenly distributed in the whole study area. On average
electroconductivity had a value of 394 jiS/cm in the communal lands as compared
to 450 jiS/cm in the National Park. However a high value of 730 jiS/cm was
noticed in Mpopoma. The pH of the soils in the National Park is slightly acidic
5-6.6 with an average of 5.5 while communal lands are comprised of alkaline
soils ranging from 7.5 to 7.8 with an average of 7.6. Vegetation scores ranged
from 2 to 4, and tended to be higher at the reservoirs in the National Park as
compared to communal lands. Water colour is quite different from a reservoir to
another with a predominance of a whitish colour in the communal lands. This
whitish colour was not observed in the National Park. Mpopoma had a quite
distinct brownish colour.
National Park
Table 3.1. Littoral soil samples Color, pH and Electro
conductivity (uS/cm), water colour and littoral vegetation score (estimated)
|
Area
|
Reservoir
|
Wet Color Dry Color Water
colour
|
pH EC Veget
ation Score*
|
|
Maleme
Mezilume
Mpopom a
Chitam pa
|
Light dark 5 315 3
(clear)
Dark 5.2 400 4
grayish
(coffee)
Light dark 5.1 730 4
(clear)
Brownish 6.6 354 2
2.5Y3/2 (Very dark grayish brown)
2.5Y3/2 (Very dark grayish brown)
2.5Y3/2 (Very dark grayish brown)
1 0Yr4/2(Dark grayish brown)
2.5Y5/2 (Grayish brown)
2.5Y5/2 (Grayish brown)
2.5Y6/2 (Light brownish
gray)
1 0Yr6/2 (light brownish Gray)
|
Commun al lands
|
Sibasa Dewa Denje
|
2.5Y4/2 (Dark grayish brown)
1 0Yr3/3 (Dark brown)
1 0Yr3/3 (Dark brown)
|
2.5Y6/4 (light yellowish brown)
10 Yr 5/2 (Grayish brown)
10 Yr6/4 (light yellowish brown)
|
Whitish (milky)
Gray whitish brown Gray whitish brown
|
7.5 558 3
7.5 456 3
7.8 330 2
|
|
Makoshe
|
2.5Yr3/0 (Very dark gray)
|
2.5Yr6/0 (Gray)
|
Dark grayish
|
7.5 230 2
|
*For the estimation of vegetation abundance, 1 means no
vegetation coverage; 2: poor coverage; 3: good coverage and 4: very good
coverage.
The classification of the soils using their texture is
presented in Table 3.2. Maleme and Mezilume have loamy sand while Mpopoma,
Sibasa and Makoshe have loamy sand and sand is predominating around Dewa, Denje
and Chitampa. The soil texture is similar in the communal lands and National
Park with Mpopoma, Sibasa and Makoshe having loamy sandy soils; Chitampa, Dewa
and Denje having sandy soils.
Table 3.2. Texture of soils around the studied small
reservoirs
|
Dam
|
% Sand
|
% Clay % Silt
|
|
Classification
|
|
Maleme
|
40
|
34
|
26
|
Clay loam
|
|
Mezilume
|
40
|
33
|
28
|
Clay loam
|
|
Mpopoma
|
87
|
9
|
4
|
Loamy Sand
|
|
Chitampa
|
96
|
3
|
1
|
Sand
|
|
Sibasa
|
86
|
11
|
3
|
Loamy Sand
|
|
Dewa
|
95
|
2
|
3
|
Sand
|
|
Denje
|
96
|
1
|
3
|
Sand
|
|
Makoshe
|
88
|
11
|
1
|
Loamy Sand
|
| 
