The debilitating drought in the Eastern Cape is likely to hit poor rural villagers and seasonal farm workers hard unless rain falls soon, say farmers and water authorities.
The Kouga Dam, the main dam in the Gamtoos citrus and vegetable farming district, remains at a critically low 10% after rain in February, before which it was at a record low of 7.1%.
Kouga Municipality introduced water rationing in August 2017.
Fruit and vegetable farming is completely dependent on irrigation, and district farmers have largely abandoned vegetable crops to favour their fruit trees.
Petrus du Preez of Agri Eastern Cape farmers’ union said on Wednesday that some farmers with long-term retail contracts had moved their operations to other areas to retain their relationships.
"It is not cost-effective, but they are doing it to survive."
"Young trees can be kept alive with hand watering, but not vegetables."
March is usually a rainy month for the area.
The forecast for the coming months was poor, said South African Weather Service spokesman Garth Sampson.
"We need widespread rain of 50mm or more to make any difference to our main storage dam levels."

AUSTIN, Texas — Less than eight months after Hurricane Harvey pelted the Texas Gulf Coast with torrential rainfall, drought has returned to Texas and other parts of the West, Southwest and Southeast, rekindling old worries for residents who dealt with earlier waves of dry spells and once again forcing state governments to reckon with how to keep the water flowing.
Nearly a third of the continental United States was in drought as of April 10, more than three times the coverage of a year ago.
And the specter of a drought-ridden summer has focused renewed urgency on state and local conservation efforts, some of which would fundamentally alter Americans’ behavior in how they use water.
In California, for example, officials are considering rules to permanently ban water-wasting actions such as hosing off sidewalks and driveways, washing a vehicle with a hose that doesn’t have a shut-off valve, and irrigating ornamental turf on public street medians.
The regulations, awaiting a final decision by the California State Water Resources Control Board, were in force as temporary emergency measures during part of a devastating five-year drought but were lifted in 2017 after the drought subsided.
Water restrictions, either forced or voluntary, are nothing new to states and communities where battling drought is often a part of life.
In Amarillo, Texas, the city’s water department stresses conservation with the message “every drop counts,” and urges customers to do “at least one thing a day to save water.” A similar mantra – “squeeze every drop” – is part of the water-saving culture in Oklahoma City, where officials impose higher rates for excessive water use.
Years of studies by government and environmental groups have warned that future demand for water is threatening to outstrip availability, particularly in the drought-plagued West and Southwest, unless policymakers take steps to reverse those trends.
“More and more cities around the world are running into limits on how much water they have available to meet their needs,” said Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Oakland-based Pacific Institute and an expert on water and climate issues.
One critical water resource threatened by shortages is the Colorado River System, which includes parts of seven states and provides water for up to 40 million people.

Many farmers in East Gippsland have sold off half their herds as they continue to battle extreme dry conditions.
"The Millennium Drought we could tick over, but water’s such a big issue now that our place up in the high country, we’ll probably totally de-stock in the next six weeks if it doesn’t get any run-off rain," he said.
"We’ve actually cleaned out 24 dams, we’ve sold 15 per cent of the dairy herd, 25 per cent of the beef herd, and the rest of the beef herd is on agistment in New South Wales.
Our family sent cattle to Queensland in the 1890s and my cattle are in New South Wales today.
To get a sense of just how bad it is, Mr Nixon said people only needed to look at the number of cattle being sold at the Bairnsdale saleyards.
He said more awareness was needed of the drought conditions farmers in the region were going through.
"There’s no declaration of drought as there used to be, so a lot of farmers might be unaware that they can apply for these drought concessional loans."
Dairy farmer Royston Nettleton is Mr Nixon’s neighbour and said he would be applying for a loan.
"Even if we get a lot more rain now we still aren’t going to get enough run-off to fill the water supplies, so I think a lot of people in the hill country will have to reduce their stock numbers.
Heading into winter, Mr Honey said locals were not feeling confident about the season ahead.

An inter-ministerial Central team that visited Prakasam district on Wednesday to assess the severity of drought had a bad experience on Wednesday as a group of people in Bestavaripeta village blocked the convoy demanding adequate drinking water supply to them.
“There is no end to our water woes as the Cumbum tank has gone bone dry,” the upset villagers told Central team leader B. Rajender, Union Joint Secretary(Crops) and sought his intervention.
District Collector V. Vinay Chand later promised to arrange for water tankers.
The situation was no different in Kandulapuram village, where sweet orange and lime growers waiting under the hot sun for long to pour out their woes, shouted slogans when they did not get a chance to represent their problems to the Central team.
Highlighting the woes of farmers, Congress Markapur Assembly segment in-charge Sk.Saida said a series of failed bore wells presented a pathetic picture of peasants in the district.
Winding up the whirlwind visit of some of the drought-affected areas in Markapur division, including Podili, K.K.
Mitla and Tarlupadu, Mr. Rajender said they would submit a detailed account of the “grim” drought situation in the district and recommend Central assistance as per norms.
The District Collector explained to the team members, including Rajeev Singhal from the Central Water Commission, Nita Tahiliani, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry and G.R.
Zagar, Consultant, Union Ministry of Drinking Water, that the crop loss during rabi was ₹1,182 crore and sought an immediate Central assistance of ₹236 crore to take up drought mitigation measures on a war-footing, including provision of input subsidy of ₹125.60 crore to the affected farmers.
The district administration had spent ₹36 crore for transportation of water through tankers to 280 habitations till date and it would require about ₹42 crore to scale up water supply through tankers to 510 habitations during peak summer, Mr.Vinay Chand explained.

A storm is projected to take a tour of the southern United States with beneficial rain, localized flooding and isolated severe thunderstorms along the way spanning late this week to early next week.
The first signs of the storm will be spotty rain in central and Northern California and spotty snow over the Sierra Nevada and portions of the Great Basin in Nevada and Utah on Thursday.
However, all it takes is one violent storm to threaten lives and/or for a storm to hit a populated area to cause great damage.
Any non-flooding rainfall will be welcomed over the Southwest.
Nearly all of the region is abnormally dry, while some locations are experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
The storm is projected to take an east to southeast path across the South Central states this weekend and the Southeastern states early next week.
Rainfall along the Interstate 10 and I-20 corridors may range between 2 and 4 inches with locally higher amounts.
The speed at which the storm exits the southern Atlantic coast during early next week is questionable at this point.
One scenario brings a few days of showers and thunderstorms from Florida to the North Carolina Outer Banks.
Many areas from Florida to North Carolina are also abnormally dry and could benefit from several rounds of showers and non-severe thunderstorms.

Despite some isolated precipitation across northern New Mexico during the week ending April 15, the weather pattern was again dominated by fluctuating temperatures and dry, windy conditions, which caused further deterioration of native pasture grass, as well as soil moisture levels, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Mountain Regional Field Office, New Mexico.
The United States Drought Monitor released on April 12 showed intensification of drought conditions in the northeast, with exceptional drought (D4) noted in an area centered over Union County that represents 2.2 percent of the state.
Conditions rated abnormally dry or worse were reported across 99.9 percent of New Mexico.
Overall, topsoil moisture levels were reported as 9 percent adequate to surplus, compared with 7 percent last week, 39 percent last year, and a 5-year average of 30 percent.
Pasture and range condition was reported as 10 percent good to excellent, compared with 11 percent last week, 26 percent last year, and a 5-year average of 21 percent.
Wildfires continued to be a concern statewide, with an approximate 30,000-acre fire reported across Lea and Roosevelt Counties.
Spring fieldwork was ongoing, with row crops being planted as conditions allowed.
Numerous comments noted the dry, windy weather and swings in temperature from extremely hot to cold.
Precipitation was recorded at 13 out of 44 reporting weather stations.
The largest moisture accumulation was reported at Capulin, where 0.45 inch fell.

After three years of drought, the city of 4 million spent months united in a struggle to fend off Day Zero, when Cape Town was projected to become the world’s first major urban center to run out of water.
One critical water resource threatened by shortages is the Colorado River System, which includes parts of seven states and provides water for up to 40 million people.
The reservoir, which is part of the Colorado River System, serves nearly 25 million people in Nevada, Arizona and California.
The Texas Water Development Board has authorized $6.2 billion in financing for 48 municipal and regional projects after state water planners warned that the population of the second-most-populous state would grow by 70 percent over the next 50 years.
Water levels in the High Plains aquifer system, which underlies parts of eight states, have dropped by more than 100 feet in places, largely as a result of extensive irrigation, according to the USGS.
But at the same, the search for effective state water policy also has been fraught with conflict, often displaying the competing interests of agriculture, property owners, big cities, small communities, energy developers, conservationists and environmentalists and a host of others.
The same year, Californians approved a $7.5 billion bond package on water projects that included expanding water storage, protecting rivers and lakes, bolstering groundwater sustainability and water recycling.
Meanwhile in Cape Town, Executive Deputy Mayor Neilson said the race against Day Zero has fundamentally redefined the city’s water strategies.
Neilson said officials have learned that they’ll need to diversify their water supply to other sources: groundwater where possible, along with water re-use and desalination.
And what about Day Zero?

Brazilian Army logistics battalions in the state of Rio Grande do Sul supply populations suffering from drought in the far south of Brazil.
Operations from the Brazilian Army (EB, in Portuguese) are vital to thousands of residents in cities suffering the effects of the worst drought in recent years in southern Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state.
The battalion is one of the arms EB extends since February 2018 to assist the state’s Civil Defense agency in mitigating the problems the drought created.
We then did some ground reconnaissance on Monday, and, by Tuesday, our troops were already headed there, trucking water by road to cater to families,” Lt. Col. Jetson explained.
The 4th BLog operated from February until March 27th, bringing water to residents in nearly 20 rural parts of Caçapava do Sul.
They filled up the battalion’s two water trucks—one with an 18,000-liter capacity and the other holding 15,000 liters of water—at reservoirs of the Rio Grande Sanitation Company supplied.
Authorities conduct the rationing12 hours a day, but EB’s helping hand is present throughout the region.
“Whenever there’s a crisis, such as with water scarcity, we have prior authorization to act,” Maj. Gen. Vendramin explained, adding that the force also operates in floods.
Maj. Gen. Vendramin said EB’s water trucks cover up to 60 kilometers in one day.
That’s why this service agency is essential.

Greg Abbott to issue a disaster declaration for Burnet, Travis, and Williamson counties.
“These drought conditions pose an imminent threat to public health, property, and the economy,” stated a media release from the governor’s office.
He issued the declaration April 13.
Under the disaster declaration, officials can “suspend” any regulation or law that would “prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in responding to this disaster.” It also suspends any law that impedes a state agency’s response deemed needed to protect life or property under the drought conditions.
“I want to assure the citizens of Texas that we will do all we can to respond to this threat and ensure their safety and the protection of their property,” Abbott said in the release.
Texas is no stranger to wildfires, and will be prepared to respond if needed.” The Burnet-Travis-Williamson county area has experienced a recent increase in wildfires.
The fire eventually burned about 100 acres over a period of two days and required the assistance of several agencies to extinguish the blaze.
That same day, Jonestown, Lago Vista, and Travis County fire units worked several “spots” fires along RR 1431 just west of Jonestown.
The high winds on April 14 exasperated fire conditions with officials issuing a red flag warning and urging people to curtail any outdoor fires.
Texas A&M Forest Service offers the Firewise program, which helps communities and property owners better protect themselves and structures in case of a wildfire.

Ten water tanks and clean water for drinking and other domestic use are being distributed to nine primary schools and one group home for children in the Western Cape Province.
Many areas of South Africa are facing a severe drought, the country’s worst natural disaster in 30 years.
The lack of water impacts the agricultural economy, potentially causing cutbacks and layoffs for seasonal workers.
Less water also means lower yields for vineyards, fruit orchards and vegetable crops.
The lack of clean water also compromises health and hygiene and increases the spread of diseases and possible outbreaks.
The rationing of water may occur as early as August.
Health Opportunity Partnership and Empowerment in Africa (HOPE Africa) serves as the social development department of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and oversees church and community development projects in South Africa and other countries in the region.
“Winter rains are about four months away and we hope they will help alleviate the current water crisis in South Africa,” said Nagulan Nesiah, Senior Program Officer for Disaster Response and Risk Reduction at Episcopal Relief & Development.
“We are grateful to HOPE Africa and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for responding to critical needs during the drought.” Donations to the International Disaster Response Fund will help those affected by the water crisis in South Africa and other disasters worldwide.
The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework.