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SUMMARY
The issue of allowing the Liming, duration and magnitude of a flood release to be determined by man has led to a wide spectrum of viewpoints as to which values of these parameters are most suitable for the Pongolo River Floodplain, where the Pongolapoort Dam provides the source of water. With this dissent in mind, a mathematical model of part of the floodplain has been formulated, using the system dynamics methodology. This model is based on the ecosystem of Tete Pan, and concentrates on the aspect of preservation of the quantity and diversity of fish, with attention being given to the flora, such as the submerged plant, Potamogeton crispus, which contribute to the fish food supply.
The facility of being able to determine the effects of an endless variety of different floods is also accommodated, and results in the choice of a flood which is superior to all others tested, in terms of the preservation of fish. A comparison of the results of the implementation of this flood and results obtained from a flood which approximates the historical pattern, is given.