Figure 3.14 shows the distribution of
major dams and IBTs.

Water budgets for South Africa generally take into account the amount of water that can still be stored in dams, without permanently destroying riverine environments. Often this figure does not take into account farm dams, which, although small, have a cumulative effect on the functioning of river systems.

A graph of the cumulative capacity of both large and small dams (Figure 3.15) indicates that by 1990 the maximum utilisable MAR in South Africa had already been exceeded. This provides an indication of the small amount of water available for environmental use.

IBTs have had an important role to play in the development of South Africa.

Figure 3.16 shows that, in all provinces, except the Northern Province, at least 50% of the provincial gross geographic product (GGP) is reliant on IBTs. Increased demand through population growth and economic activity will lead to an increase in IBTs, probably from international sources (e.g. Okavango River, Namibia). The details of current IBTs in South Africa are presented in Table 3.4.