Bulk water transfer schemes have been developed in the Limpopo River basin to address the severe water shortages. Transfers are either classified as intrabasin or interbasin: intrabasin transfers constitute water transfers within a country, from one country to another, or from one sub-basin to another; while interbasin transfers constitute water transfers from one river basin to another.
As shown in the table below, the Limpopo River basin there are four major interbasin transfer schemes and two major intrabasin transfer schemes.
Major interbasin and intrabasin water transfer schemes related to the Limpopo River basin.
| Name of water transfer scheme |
Basins Involved |
Countries involved directly in the scheme 1 |
Countries involved / affected indirectly 2 |
| Interbasin water transfer schemes |
| Komati Scheme |
Incomati to Limpopo |
South Africa |
Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
| Usutu Scheme |
Usutu to Limpopo |
South Africa |
Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
| Grootdraai Emergency Augmentation Scheme |
Orange-Senqu to Limpopo |
South Africa |
Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
| Vaal-Crocodile |
Orange-Senqu to Limpopo |
South Africa |
Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
| Intrabasin water transfer schemes |
| North-South Water Carrier (within Limpopo basin) |
Shashe to Notwane |
Botswana |
Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
| Molatedi Dam to Gaborone |
Marico to Notswana |
Botswana, South Africa |
Mozambique Zimbabwe |
1. Countries initiating and implementing the transfer scheme.
2. Countries sharing involved basin and which consequently are affected by the scheme.
Source: FAO 2004
The interbasin schemes transfer water to the Limpopo River basin from other basins, and all occur within South Africa. There are no bulk water schemes transferring water out of the water-scarce Limpopo River basin.
Water imported from the Usutu, Vaal and Komati Rivers in South Africa is used to support the high water demands of the power stations located in the Upper Elephants River basin (FAO 2004). Water imported from the Vaal in the Orange-Senqu River basin, and reuse of return flows in the Crocodile river, provide a surplus of water in the Crocodile used to supplement water in the Mogalakwena, Mokolo and Elephants River basins.
