According to this article, the upstream Modder River basin, located in a semi-arid region in Central South Africa, is experiencing intermittent meteorological droughts causing water shortages for agriculture, livestock and domestic purposes. To address this problem a technique was developed for small-scale farmers with the objective of harnessing rainwater for crop production. However, the hydrological impact of a wider adoption of this technique by farmers has not been well quantified. In this regard, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model was used to simulate the hydrological impact of such practices.