Our Impact

Policy contribution

The research conducted by the NWU-Water Research Group is making a measurable contribution to evidence-based policy and environmental governance at regional, national and international levels. Between 2013 and 2026, 72 policy documents cited our scientific publications, demonstrating that our research is not only advancing scientific knowledge but also informing decisions that shape environmental management and conservation, by contributing to policy documents, technical guidelines, environmental risk assessments and management frameworks developed by governments, international organisations and research institutions. These include organisations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and CGIAR, highlighting the global relevance and credibility of the research, spanning a broad range of themes, including freshwater ecosystem health, biodiversity conservation, invasive species management, ecological risk assessment, water quality, ecotoxicology and environmental pollution. 

By providing robust scientific evidence, our research supports the development of practical tools, regulatory frameworks and management strategies that help protect aquatic ecosystems and promote the sustainable use of water resources. Translating scientific excellence into practical solutions the WRG is helping policymakers and environmental managers address complex environmental challenges while contributing to the sustainable management of freshwater resources and the conservation of biodiversity. This impact reflects our commitment to producing research that delivers tangible benefits for society, environmental stewardship and evidence-based policy development.

Think Tank 

2025:

Policy: Development and application of the FISHTRAC real-time remote monitoring tool for digital twinning of river basins in southern Africa [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)]

Region: France

WRG Publication(s): 

  1. Comparative behavioural assessment of an established and a new tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus population in two man-made lakes in the Limpopo River catchment, southern Africa.
  2. Diel movement of smallmouth yellowfish Labeobarbus aeneus in the Vaal River, South Africa.
  3. First observation of African tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus predating on barn swallows Hirundo rustica in flight.
  4. Habitat preferences and movement of adult yellowfishes in the Vaal River, South Africa.
  5. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations.
  6. The spatial ecology of adult Labeobarbus marequensis and their response to flow and habitat variability in the Crocodile River, Kruger National Park.
  7. Temporal movement of free-swimming fishes and their response to environmental variables in some of the rivers of Kruger National Park, South Africa.

 

Policy: Real-time application of the PROBFLO framework risk approach as a part of the digital twin towards the implementation of environmental flows in the Limpopo Basin, southern Africa [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)]

Region: France

WRG Publication(s): 

  1. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations.
  2. Risk Assessment of Water Quantity and Quality Stressors to Balance the Use and Protection of Vulnerable Water Resources.

2024:

Policy: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Annual Report 2023/24

Region: South Africa

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Current situation and future prognosis of health, safety and environment risk assessment of nanomaterials in South Africa.

 

Policy: Development of an environmental flow implementation and monitoring tool: enhancing the usability of the PROBFLO e-flows framework in the Limpopo Catchment [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)]

Region: France

WRG Publication(s):

  1. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations.

 

Policy: The use of UAV-derived bathymetric data for hydraulic modelling to inform e-flow assessments [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)]

Region: France

WRG Publication(s):

  1. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations.

 

Policy: E-flows for the Limpopo River Basin: basin report [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)]

Region: France

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Regional-scale risk assessment methodology using the Relative Risk Model (RRM) for surface freshwater aquatic ecosystems in South Africa.

Governmental

2026:

Policy: User Experience on fws.gov

Region: United States

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Alien freshwater fish parasites from South Africa: Diversity, distribution, status and the way forward.

2025:

Policy: PestMan: Pesticide Management for Better Water Quality

Region: Ireland

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Prioritizing agricultural pesticides used in South Africa based on their environmental mobility and potential human health effects.

Intergovernmental Organisation(s)

2025:

Policy: Emerging pollutants: protecting water quality for the health of people and the environment

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Current situation and future prognosis of health, safety and environment risk assessment of nanomaterials in South Africa.

 

Policy: Guidance on Sample Preparation and Dosimetry for Manufactured Nanomaterials, 2025 Edition

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Adsorption, uptake and distribution of gold nanoparticles in Daphnia magna following long term exposure.
  2. Influence of different functionalized CdTe quantum dots on the accumulation of metals, developmental toxicity and respiration in different development stages of the zebrafish (Danio rerio).

 

Policy: Incorporating environmental flows into “water stress” Indicator 6.4.2

WRG Publication(s):

  1. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations.

2024:

Policy: A Tiered Approach for Reliable Bioaccumulation Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials in the Environment Whilst Minimising the Use of Vertebrate Testing

WRG Publication(s):

  1. The bioaccumulation testing strategy for nanomaterials: Correlations with particle properties and a meta-analysis of: In vitro fish alternatives to in vivo fish tests.
  2. An assessment of applicability of existing approaches to predicting the bioaccumulation of conventional substances in nanomaterials. 

 

Policy: Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials and Advanced Materials between July 2023 and June 2024 – Tour de Table

WRG Publication(s):

  1. Current situation and future prognosis of health, safety and environment risk assessment of nanomaterials in South Africa.
  2. The bioaccumulation testing strategy for nanomaterials: Correlations with particle properties and a meta-analysis of: In vitro fish alternatives to in vivo fish tests.

 

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Last updated: June 2026
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