Rivers, rivulets and river reserves in Mauritius are protected under various legislation, more particularly under the Forests and Reserves Act 1983 and the Rivers and Canals Act 1863. However, despite the social, economic and cultural importance of rivers, survey reports undertaken over years have revealed that these are under constant stress from human activities and pollution. Debris and wastes which drift downstream get accumulated along rivers and watercourses, thus causing obstruction to the normal water flow and hence resulting in flooding. This project aims at conducting an audit of the main rivers and watercourses in Mauritius to assess their carrying capacity, particularly at critical sites over the island, taking into account the impacts of climate change.
