Buffalo River (Eastern Cape)
Buffalo River | |
---|---|
Amatola Mountains | |
• elevation | 1,200 m (3,900 ft) |
Mouth | Indian Ocean |
• location | East London |
• coordinates | 33°1′43″S 27°51′51″E / 33.02861°S 27.86417°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 126 km (78 mi) |
Basin size | 1,287 km2 (497 sq mi) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Cwenqgcwe |
The Buffalo River is situated in the city of East London on the East Coast of South Africa. It is to the west of the Nahoon River. It is the only navigable river in South Africa.[citation needed] The town of East London was thus established around it.
Course
The Buffalo River has its source in the seeps and sponges[
Two major tributaries from the west that join the middle section of the Buffalo River are the Mgqakwebe River just upstream of King William's Town and the Ngqokweni River at Zwelitsha. The other important tributary is the Yellowwoods River, which flows from the north directly into Laing Dam. When full, Laing Dam covers 203 hectares and contains 20 million cubic metres of water. From Laing Dam, the Buffalo River flows eastwards for 40 kilometres to Bridle Drift Dam, the largest impoundment on the river, with a full supply volume of 101 million cubic metres. Small streams on the northern bank bring runoff directly into Bridle Drift Dam from Mdantsane, the second largest township in South Africa.
From Bridle Drift Dam, the Buffalo River flows through low altitude coastal forest for twenty kilometres and forms the northern border of the Umtiza Nature Reserve, before entering the Indian Ocean through the estuary harbour of East London.
Ecology
The
Presently this river is part of the
Tributaries
Include the Mgqakwebe River, Ngqokweni River and Yellowwoods River, this last river includes some waterfalls the largest being the Yellowwoods Falls, near Breidbach.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Report Highlights Impacts on River Health (Buffalo River)" (PDF). The Water Wheel (March/April): 8–11. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ^ "Maden Dam details". www.artefacts.co.za. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Barbus trevelyani
- ^ Sandelia bainsii
- ^ Is there a role for traditional governance systems in South Africa's new water management regime?