This spatial rivers dataset is part of the South African Inventory of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems (SAIIAE) which was released with the National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) 2018. In the NBA 2018 the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area (NFEPA) rivers GIS layer was used to represent the diversity of rivers nationally. It used the 1:500 000 river network coverage available from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.dwaf.gov.za/iwqs/gis_data/river/rivs500k.aspx. This GIS layer summarizes the river ecosystem types, river condition, Ecosystem Threat Status (ETS) and Ecosystem Protection Level (EPL) as well as the free-flowing (62 identified by the NFEPA project) and flagship river information.

Created from the NLC2000 dataset and the national Wetland Probability Map to create the first National Wetland Map (NWM1) Beta version

The National Wetlands Map III (NWM3) is a combination of NWM2 extracted from the National Land Cover 2000 dataset and the Waterbodies of the 1:50 000 of topomaps from Chief Directorate Surveys and Mapping (CDSM). These two datasets were further categorized into natural waterbodies, artificial waterbodies and unclassified waterbodies. Although every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the data, SANBI do not take responsibility for errors or problems that arise for using this dataset.

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). 2018. Strategic Environmental Assessment for Aquaculture in South Africa: Aquaculture Facilities Database.

South African Ramsar wetland sites (polygons)

The National Wetlands Map III (NWM3) is a combination of NWM2 extracted from the National Land Cover 2000 dataset and the Waterbodies of the 1:50 000 of topomaps from Chief Directorate Surveys and Mapping (CDSM). These two datasets were further categorized into natural waterbodies, artificial waterbodies and unclassified waterbodies.

The National Wetlands Map III (NWM3) is a combination of NWM2 extracted from the National Land Cover 2000 dataset and the Waterbodies of the 1:50 000 of topomaps from the Chief Directorate Surveys and Mapping (CDSM). These two datasets were further categorized into natural waterbodies, artificial waterbodies, and unclassified waterbodies.

Waterfalls Waterfalls were extracted from the DRDLR:NGI point data and supplemented by Heidi van Deventer from known waterfalls and those indicated by experts across the country.

Artificial wetlands of the South African Inventory of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems (SAIIAE). This data set is part of the Inventory released with the launch of the NBA 2018. National Wetland Map 5 includes inland wetlands and estuaries, but are associated with river line data and many other data sets within the South African Inventory of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems (SAIIAE). Please ensure you obtain the full geodatabase and relevant reports to understand the appropriate use of the data. Appropriate use and a disclaimer is provided under the relevant reports below.

The most recent dams register of DWS, dated to 2016