According to the national water resource strategy (National Water Act Sections 5-7) the holistic and integrated management of a catchment within a water management area should be promoted. The inter-relationship between institutions involved in water resource management should be determined.

According to the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act land users should comply with certain control measures. The water relating control measures include the irrigation of land, the prevention or control of water logging or salination of land, the regulating of the flow pattern of run-off water and the protection of water resources against pollution because of farming practices.

The Mountain Catchment Areas Act encourages the conservation, use, management and control of mountain catchment areas. The management of mountain catchment areas should maintain sustained yields of quality streamflow, nature conservation, fire hazard reduction, afforestation, grazing, tourism and recreational opportunity. The owner of the designated land should manage that land through prevention of soil erosion, removal of exotic vegetation, fire protection and eradication of woody alien plants.

The purpose of the National Forest Act is to:-
promote the sustainable management and development of forests for the benefit of all;
create the conditions necessary to restructure forestry in Sate forests;
provide special measures for the protection of certain forests and trees;
promote the sustainable use of forests for environmental, economic, educational, recreational, cultural, healthand spiritual purposes;
promote community forestry;
promote greater participation in all aspects of forestry and the forest products industry by persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination.

Natural forests and woodlands form an important part of the environment and need to be conserved and developed according to the principles of sustainable management. Plantation forests have an impact on the environment and need to be managed appropriately. Invaders like Eucalyptus or Pinus species encroaching the riparian vegetation from forest plantation must be eradicated since they have impact on indigenous flora and river flows.

Riparian forest forms an integral and important part of the river ecosystem. Veld, forest and mountain fires need to be prevented since they will enhance the floods, erosion and deposition risks. In addition, surface water flowing from the burned areas may carry increased levels of sediment, organic debris, and chemicals that can contribute to degradation of municipal water supplies and aquatic habitats. (National Veld and Forest Fire Act)