Maloti DrakensbergHP

ASSOCIATES

Dr Tendai Sawunyama

Dr Tendai Sawunyama CWRR

Position:                                Associate

Discipline:                             Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering

Centre:                                   Centre for Water Resources Research (CWRR)

School:                                   School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Campus:                                 Agriculture Campus

Biography 

Dr Tendai Sawunyama, is currently a Senior Manager at the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency, a Water Resources Engineering specialist, with experience in water resources modelling and application of innovative technology for decision support systems in catchment and transboundary river basin management. He has vast experience locally and internationally ranging from consultancy, academic and decision making. He serves in various platforms which include, Technical Advisor to the Chief Directorate, International Water Cooperation of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in South Africa.  A member the Advisory Panel on Weather and Climate Change in South Africa and currently the Council President of the South African Hydrological Society (SAHS) and represent South Africa to the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS). He is also currently a Governing Board Member of the Water Research Commission. Tendai has passion for applied research and as a decision maker he believes research must assist decision makers to deal with water and sanitation challenges in the country and the region. He believes the use of innovation and technology will contribute immensely in dealing with the emerging water security challenges. He looks forward to contribute to entity’s program on research, innovation and development.

Qualifications

  • Executive Development Programme (EDP), Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand (2021).South Africa.
  • Senior Management Programme(SMP), Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria (2018).South Africa
  • PhD in Engineering Hydrology; Institute for Water Research; Rhodes University (2009).South Africa.
  • MSc Hons in WaterNet Integrated Water Resources Management; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Zimbabwe (2005).
  • BSc Hons in Agricultural Engineering; Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering; University Zimbabwe (2003).

Current Research Projects

  • Developing a decision support system for estimating the water use and water use efficiency of irrigated crops in the Inkomati – Usuthu Water Management Area (WMA) ( WRC/IUCMA funded project 2021-2024 on going)
  • Development and application of standardised tools to support assessment of the socio-economic impact of water re-allocation through compulsory licensing (WRC/IUCMA funded project 2023-2024 ongoing) 

Recently Completed Projects (2020-23)

  • IUCMA (2021) Disaster Early Warning System for the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency, South Africa
  • Mallory S , Wolski P, Abiodun B, Sawunyama T, J Tanner (2020) The development of an integrated system for adaptation and mitigation to hydrological drought in South Africa. Water Research Commission.
  • Allwright A, Witthueser K, Cobbing J, Mallory S, Sawunyama T (2013) Development of a Groundwater Resource Assessment Methodology: towards a holistic approach. Water Research Commission: WRC Report No. 2048/1/13

Hobbies and Interests

Reading and farming

Five recent publications

  • Principles and legal tools for equitable water resource allocation: prioritization in South Africa, International Journal of Water Resources Development (2023)
  • Riddell E., Pollard S., Mallory S, Sawunyama T (2014) A methodology for historical assessment of compliance with environmental water allocations: lessons from the Crocodile (East) River, South Africa. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (3–4), 1–13.
  • Sawunyama T (2013) Small farm dam capacity estimations from simple geometric relationships in support of the water use verification process in the Inkomati Water Management Area: In Considering Hydrological Change in Reservoir Planning and Management (Proceedings of H09, IAHS-IAPSO-IASPEI Assembly, Gothenburg, Sweden, July 2013) IAHS Publ. 362, 2013
  • Sawunyama T, Hughes DA, Mallory SJL (2011) Evaluation of combined contribution of uncertainty sources to total output uncertainty in water resource estimation in South Africa. In: Risk in Water Resources Management (Proceedings of Symposium H03 at IUGG2011 in Melbourne, Australia, July 2011.IAHS Publ. 347.
  • Sawunyama T and Hughes DA (2010) Using satellite-based rainfall data to support the implementation of environmental water requirements in South Africa WaterSA, Volume 36.
  • Hughes, DA, Kapangaziwiri, E and Sawunyama, T (2010) Hydrological model uncertainty assessment in southern Africa. Journal of Hydrology, Volume 387 (3-4) ,221-232.