Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area

Last updated

Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA, or Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area (coded: 3), [1] in South Africa is sub-divided into 6 sub-management areas each corresponding with a (part) river drainage area, and include the following major rivers: the Crocodile River and Marico River, sub divided into an upper Crocodile River sub-management area and a lower Crocodile River sub-management area. The Marico River sub-management area, the upper Molopo River sub-management area, The Elands River sub-management area, and the Apies River / Pienaars River sub-management area.

Contents

Boundaries

Tertiary drainage regions A10, A21 to A24, A31, A32 and quaternary drainage region D41A.

Sub-management areas

The Apies River / Pienaars River, sub-management area comprises the Apies River catchment area, the Pienaars River catchment area, as well as the catchment areas of the Moretele River and Tlholwe River down to their confluence with the Crocodile River. The Apies River joins the Pienaars River to the north of Hammanskraal. The Pienaars River joins the Crocodile River just below the confluence of the Crocodile and Elands rivers.

The upper Crocodile River sub-management area corresponds to the catchment of the Crocodile River upstream of the confluence of the Elands River which includes the major tributaries of the Sterkstroom River, Magalies River, Bloubankspruit, Jukskei River and Hennops River.

The Elands River sub-management area consists of the Elands River catchment which includes the tributaries of the Koster River, Selons River and Hex River. The Elands River is a tributary of the Crocodile River and the confluence is situated below Roodekopjes Dam.

The lower Crocodile River sub-management area represents the remainder of the Crocodile River catchment, downstream of the confluence of the Elands River. The river flows in a north/north-westerly direction until the confluence with the Marico River. After the confluence the river is known as the Limpopo River. The Lower Crocodile River has two large tributaries, namely the Sand River and the Bierspruit which join the Crocodile River west of the town of Thabazimbi.

The Marico sub-management area corresponds to the catchment of the Marico River. Main tributaries of the Marico River include the Klein Marico River and Groot Marico River.

The Upper Molopo sub-management area comprises the upper part of the Molopo River catchment. The Molopo River rises from the Molopo Eye near Mafikeng and flows westwards to form the northern border of the North West Province with Botswana. The Molopo River is a tributary of the Orange River.

Dams covered

The Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA, covers the following Dams:

See also

Related Research Articles

Limpopo River River in southern Africa

The Limpopo River rises in South Africa, and flows generally eastwards through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a group of Tsonga settlers led by Hosi Rivombo who settled in the mountainous vicinity and named the area after their leader. The river is approximately 1,750 kilometres (1,087 mi) long, with a drainage basin 415,000 square kilometres (160,200 sq mi) in size. The mean discharge measured over a year is 170 m3/s at its mouth. The Limpopo is the second largest river in Africa that drains to the Indian Ocean, after the Zambezi River.

Molopo River

The Molopo River is one of the main rivers in Southern Africa. It has a length of approximately 960 kilometres and a catchment area of 367,201 km2 with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa sharing roughly about a third of the basin each.

Olifants River (Limpopo)

The Olifants River,Lepelle, iBhalule or Obalule is a river in South Africa and Mozambique, a tributary of the Limpopo River. It falls into the Drainage Area B of the Drainage basins of South Africa. The historical area of the Pedi people, Sekhukhuneland, is located between the Olifants River and one of its largest tributaries, the Steelpoort River.

Breede River River in South Africa

The Breede River, also known as Breë River, is a river in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Travelling inland north from Cape Town, the river runs in a west to east direction. The surrounding western mountains formed the first continental divide experienced by European settlers in the 18th century. The Titus River and Dwars River become the Breë River.

Gamtoos River

Gamtoos River or Gamptoos River is a river in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It is formed by the confluence of the Kouga River and the Groot River and is approximately 645-kilometre (401 mi) long with a catchment area of 34,635 square kilometres (13,373 sq mi).

Apies River

The Apies River is a river that flows through the city of Pretoria, South Africa. Its source is located just south of the city and it flows northward until it drains into the Pienaars River.

Mokolo River

The Mokolo River is a major watercourse in Limpopo Province of South Africa. This river collects much of the drainage of the Waterberg Massif and discharges it to the Limpopo River. The river's catchment area comprises 8,387 square kilometres (3,238 sq mi).

Inkomati WMA, or Inkomati Water Management Area , in South Africa is situated in the north-eastern part of South Africa in the Mpumalanga Province, with a small area in the Limpopo Province. It borders on Mozambique in the east and on Swaziland in the south-east. The water management area extends over several parallel river catchments which all drain in a general easterly direction, and flow together at the border with Mozambique or within Mozambique, to form the Incomati River which discharges into the Indian Ocean immediately north of Maputo. A special situation is presented by the Komati River, the most southern tributary of the Incomati River, which rises in South Africa and flows into Swaziland, then re-enters South Africa where it is joined by the Crocodile River at the border with Mozambique, before flowing into Mozambique as the Incomati River. The Sabie River is the other main river in the water management area and flows into Corumuna Dam in Mozambique just downstream of the border with South Africa, and upstream of its confluence with the Inkomati River.

Lower Vaal WMA, or Lower Vaal Water Management Area , includes the following major rivers: the Harts River, Molopo River and Vaal River, and covers the following Dams:

Breede WMA, or Breede Water Management Area , Includes the following major rivers: the Breede River, Riviersonderend River, Sout River, Bot River and Palmiet River, and covers the following Dams:

Bospoort Dam is a gravity/earth-fill type dam on the Hex River, a tributary of the Elands River, part of the Crocodile River (Limpopo) basin. It is located near Rustenburg, North West, South Africa. Its primary purpose is for irrigation.

Crocodile River (Limpopo) River in South Africa

The Crocodile River is a river in South Africa. After its confluence with the Marico River, both rivers form the Limpopo River.

Touws River (river)

The Touws River is a river in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is a tributary of the Groot River, part of the Gourits River basin.

Pienaars River

The Pienaars River is a river in South Africa. It is a tributary of the Crocodile River. A short section of this river is known as the Moretele River. Tributaries of the Pienaars River include the Moreletaspruit. Note that the above-mentioned Moretele river section is 60 km away from the Moreletaspruit and these two should not be confused with one another.

Marico River

The Marico River or Madikwe is a river in Southern Africa. There are a number of dams in its basin. Groot Marico town is named after the Marico River. After it is joined on its right bank by the Crocodile River it is known as the Limpopo River.

Drainage Basin A, is one of the drainage basins of South Africa. The main river in this system is the Limpopo River. It is subdivided into 9 sub-drainage basins.

Groot River (Southern Cape)

The Groot River is a river in the southern area of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is a right hand tributary of the Gourits River.

Rietvlei River

The Rietvlei River is a small river in central Gauteng Province, South Africa. It feeds the wetlands of the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, before it flows into Rietvlei Dam, which is one of the main sources of water for Pretoria. The river downstream of the dam is known as Sesmylspruit, which is a tributary of the Hennops River and part of the Crocodile River (Limpopo) basin.

Elands River (North West)

The Elands River is a river in the North West Province, South Africa. It is a tributary of the Crocodile River (West), part of the Limpopo River basin.

Botswana–South Africa border International border

The border between Botswana and South Africa is 1,969 kilometres (1,223 mi) long. More than 90% of the border follows rivers, including the Nossob, Molopo, Marico and Limpopo.

References

  1. "Hydrological Services - Surface Water Home". Dwaf.gov.za. 2008-09-03. Archived from the original on 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-05-03.