I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the individuals and institutions whose support and guidance have been instrumental in the completion of this research:
Prof. Jeff Smithers and Prof. Roland Schulze of the School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for their invaluable supervision and mentorship throughout the research process,
Mrs. Tinisha Chetty, for her cooperation and support, which greatly facilitated the progress of this work,
Mr. Mark Horan, for his expertise and assistance with GIS mapping software, enabling comprehensive spatial analysis essential to the study,
Mrs. Manjulla Maharaj, for her proficiency in FORTRAN programming, contributing significantly to the technical aspects of the research,
Dr. Fethi Ahmed and Mr. Riyad Ismail from the School of Applied Environmental Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for their guidance and provision of resources in GIS and hydrology studies,
The dedicated team of librarians at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for their invaluable assistance in accessing relevant literature and resources,
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry for providing essential flow data, enhancing the quality and depth of the research;
The Ministry of Agriculture, Eritrea, and the Eritrean Human Resource Development Program office of the University of Asmara, Eritrea, for their support through the scholarship program,
The Eritrean Human Resource Development Program office of the University of Asmara, Eritrea, and the generous funding from the Water Resources Commission, South Africa, which made this study possible,
The School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for their continuous support and resources throughout the research endeavor,
My heartfelt appreciation to my parents and family for their unwavering encouragement and belief in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence, and
Lastly, I express my gratitude to Dr. Taddesse Kibreab, Mr. Amanuel Gebreyonas (MBA), Mr. Demeke Mahteme Tsige (Eng.), and the entire community at the School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology for their encouragement and camaraderie throughout this journey.
Your collective contributions have been indispensable in the successful completion of this research, and I am profoundly grateful for your support.