2011
The water level in Kamfers Dam is currently the highest ever (August 2011) and has caused millions of Rands damage to the railway lines on the eastern and southern end of the Dam. The bottom picture shows the recently re-enforced side banks which have been constructed to protect the eastern railway line from rising water levels.
Discharge of sewage effluent from final oxidation pond at Homevale sewage works into Kamfers Dam (August 2011). The pond is covered with a thick layer of scum, indicating poor primary and secondary treatment of sewage water, with little natural breakdown of organic matter.
Status of the Homevale Sewage Works in August 2011. Only 1 of 3 primary clarifiers/sedimentation tanks are operational (two were either empty or half empty). Only 2 of 4 secondary clarifiers are working properly, and only five of twelve aerators are working. The oxidation ditches are apparently dysfunctional as half of the ditches are covered with grass and have no water.
April 2011 – the breeding island is almost 1 m under water. The pink outline on the photo shows where the island was and the black dot is the top of the webcam structure. The flamingos can no longer stand on the island to feed or roost at night.
The narrow strip of breeding space left on the island in January 2011. Only the Greater Flamingos bred in January, and an estimated 200 chicks were produced.
2010
September 2010 - the breeding island is almost totally submerged, but the flamingos still use the island for roosting and feeding.
Algal bloom at Kamfers Dam – March 2010. The algal bloom is driven by the continuous input of high nutrient concentrations (principally nitrogen and phosphorus) entering from the sewage works.
2009
The breeding island partly flooded in November 2009. The higher lying section is still above water and this small area was used for breeding from October 2009 to March 2010. Only 1 800 chicks were produced.
2008
The second breeding season's batch: The first chick!
Kamfers Dam
Flock of Lesser Flamingo
The Kamfers Dam Flamingo island
Kamfers Dam - Photo taken by Irma Van As
The flamingo images used on this website have been sponsored by Mark D. Anderson (www.andersonafrica.co.za)
Media outlets requiring higher-resolution images for publication, please contact info@savetheflamingo.co.za
