Swakop River
Swakop | |
---|---|
Native name | Tsoaxaub (Khoekhoe) |
Location | |
Country | Namibia |
Regions | Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Erongo |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Eros Mountains near Otjozondjati |
• elevation | 1,560 m (5,120 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Atlantic Ocean |
• coordinates | 22°40′S 14°32′E / 22.667°S 14.533°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 460 km (290 mi) |
Basin size | 30,100 km2 (11,600 sq mi) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Otjiseva River, Kaan River, Tsaobis River |
• right | Sney River, Omusema River, Gami Kaub River, Khan River |
Waterbodies | Von Bach Dam, Swakoppoort Dam |
The Swakop River (
The Swakop River, along with its main tributary Khan, is one of the largest temporary water-bearing rivers in the dry western part of Namibia. It is 460 km (290 mi) long and has a 30,100 km2 (11,600 sq mi) large catchment area (including its tributaries).[3] The name comes from the Khoekhoe phrase Tsoa-xaub, from tsoa 'anus‘ and xaub 'excrement'. The name derives from the observation of the flow of large amounts of brownish sludge that discharge into the Atlantic Ocean with the rains.[4]
The area around the
Groundwater levels in the area have dropped about 0.3 m further due to the presence of two big dams built on the Swakop River.[5]
Notwithstanding the river’s irregular flow, some agriculture is undertaken in the Swakop River valley. Thus, the region is well known for its fresh produce, especially
Hydrology
The Swakop drains a catchment area of 30,100 km2 extending from the mouth into the Atlantic Ocean at Swakopmund over Otjimbingwe and in the east to about 50 km from Okahandja, and in the south to Khomas Highlands outside Windhoek. The highest point of the watershed is located at 2,480 m. Annual rainfall varies from 0 mm in the lower reaches up to 475 mm in the eastern Khomas Highlands. Rainfall exceeds 300 mm per year in 39% of the catchment area, and up to 80% of the catchment experiences annual rainfall above 100 mm.[3][7]
The Von Bach Dam near Okahandja and Swakoppoort Dam west of Gross Barmen in the upper reaches of the Swakop are of great importance for the water supply of Central Namibia. Like all rivers, the Swakop also has a number of major sources and major wetlands in the lower reaches. Existing groundwater, however, is often salty due to soil salinity.
On the lower reaches of the river, flooding has become ever more increasing, due to increased land use of the Swakop gallery forests. This contributes to a stronger and more rapid runoff and increased erosion of the Swakop Marshlands.
Vegetation and fauna
Because of its size and scope, the Swakop has a very diverse catchment area. 29% of the area is in
Wildlife in the Swakop River valley is found practically only in the sparsely populated lower reaches and is limited to
are no longer to be found.Usage and colonisation
Unlike the rest of the dry rivers in western Namibia, there are large human settlements in the basin of the Swakop River, such as the towns of Usakos, Karibib, Otjimbingwe, Okahandja and Namibia's capital, Windhoek, so that the population in the catchment area is more than 200,000 persons.[3]
While in the upper reaches of the river the farms are often far from the river and extensive grazing is operated, the dams and the high groundwater level along the entire Swakop River valley make intensive farming and even gardening, such as the cultivation of asparagus in Swakopmund Goanikontes, possible.
The extensive use of the groundwater in agriculture and the high water consumption in cities result in the lowering of the water table. This leads, particularly in the lower reaches, to the drying up of many springs as well as to the death of the gallery vegetation. Due to agricultural practices, erosion has greatly increased, so that more and more valuable soil is lost and the intensity of the Swakop floods increases.[3]
Uranium mines such as the Langer Heinrich mine, in the lower reaches of the Swakop, and the Rössing Mine at Khan use enormous quantities of water that further lower the water table. In addition, it is also often claimed that radioactive dust across the Khan gets into the Swakop, and therefore the vegetables cultivated there are contaminated by radioactive materials.
The Swakop Bridge in Swakopmund is a notable man-made sight near the place where the river empties into the ocean.
References
Notes
- ^ Malan, Johan S (1998). Die Völker Namibias [The Tribes of Namibia] (in German). Windhoek, Göttingen: Klaus Hess. pp. 134–135.
- ^ "Elections 2010: Erongo regional profile". New Era. 24 June 2005.
- ^ ISBN 9991670947.
- ^ Raper, Peter (1987) Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Johannesburg: Lowry Publishers.
- ^ a b Uranium in groundwater 'not serious': Roessing - The Namibian, Friday 24 June 2005
- ^ "Rössing in the Erongo Region". Rössing Uranium Limited. Archived from the original on 2006-12-30. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
- ISSN 1012-0750.
- ISSN 0140-1963.
Literature
- Klaus Hüser, Helga Besler, Wolf Dieter Blümel, Klaus Heine, Hartmut Leser, ISBN 978-3-933117-14-4