Joan S. Whitmore

Joan S. Whitmore Joan Sydney Whitmore (1922–2002) was a South African hydrologist specialising in agriculture and water. She wrote a book about drought management on farmland, and many reports on water and agriculture, during her career as a government scientist. She had risen to the rank of Director by 1972, which was an unusual achievement for a woman at that time. Quotes Joan S. Whitmore delivered an address for the Institute’s 21st anniversary in 1993 ‎1993 speech by Joan S. Whitmore on the Institute’s 21st anniversary I have dwelt on the events which led to the founding of the Hydrological Research Institute. What of the work for which the HRI was intended. It was clearly the view of the "founding fathers. The Interdepartmental Commission which, to counter the growing fragmentation of hydrological research, recommended the establishment of a central, unifying division of hydrological research that hydrology was, and should be nurtured as, a HOLISTIC science. This is a view I still uphold. At the risk of being trite, let me repeat what is well-known but tends to be overlooked. That our planet's water resources, dating back to its creation, are substantially fixed but are both highly mobile and subject to constant changes in form between the gaseous form. Interacting powerfully with other substances. Our water resources are also highly variable and sensitive as regards quality. The many hydrological processes are intricately interrelated. With the result that a change in any one has a chain reaction on others, often with far-reaching consequences. Even common practices such as burning large expanses of veld or ploughing them and planting mielies alter the quantity. Time disposition and quality of runoff, base flow, and groundwater accrual, not to mention the quantity and quality of water reaching users downstream. More often than not these changes, sometimes damaging, occur inadvertently and may be difficult to remedy. They could have been anticipated by the foreknowledge whose acquisition is the task of the hydrological researcher. Such foreknowledge also enables us to manipulate hydrological processes beneficially. One example being mulching to curb unproductive evaporation of soil moisture, so as to make more available for assimilation and thus the growth and yield of crops. Cloud seeding, again, is an example of an intervention with potential for both harm and good. As you all well know, it is because South Africa's water supplies are at best undependable, and at worst grossly inadequate. They are infinitely more precious than our much vaunted gold for they are vital not only to all sectors of our economy. Small wonder therefore that South Africa has a long and creditable history of water research and development. I recall hearing vivid accounts by the late Dr M S du Toit, an eminent soil scientist who later became Secretary for Agriculture. In another sphere the late Prof. CL Wicht put forest hydrology on the world map with his catchment experiments at Jonkershoek on the effects of afforestation and forest management on stream flow. Which he was a pioneer in the statistical design and evaluation of controlled catchment Experiments. We can also look back with admiration on the construction, largely by manual labour, of the Vaal-Hartz Irrigation Scheme. A major scheme by any standards, which was undertaken primarily to give employment to many of those hit by the great depression of the early '30's. That the entire scheme was completed without provision of drainage canals for the return flow was certainly an oversight. Later came bold and imaginative schemes in yet another sphere, that of large-scale transfer of surplus water from some catchments to make good deficiencies in others. The Tugela-Vaal and Orange-Fish being two major examples. When the need arose to start thinking of desalinating and reusing water, Dr Stander of the CSIR earned world recognition. It seems to me that during the first 60 years of this century we relied more on the vision, initiative and drive of gifted individuals. The corporate style of management via a plethora of committees, which is so prevalent today. External links The founding of the Hydrological Research Institute: Recollections and Reflections ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Category:1922 births ‎Category:2002 deaths ‎ Category:Women academics from South Africa ‎ ‎ ‎ Category:Women scientists from South Africa