Olifants River (Southern Cape)
Encyclopedia
Olifants River has its origins in the Traka and Kalkwal Rivers north of the Swartberg
, and becoming the Olifants River after flowing through the Toorwaterpoort, flowing west through Oudtshoorn and joining the Gourits River
, then heading south to its mouth at Gouritsmond.
The northern tributaries of the Olifants River rise in the Great Karoo to the north of the Swartberg Mountains, while the Olifants River itself rises to the east and flows westwards between the Swartberg and Kammanassie mountains to its confluence with the Gamka River
. The southern slopes of the Swartberg Mountains are drained by the perennial Groot River
, Kango River, Grobbelaars River, Wynands River, Kansa River and Vlei River tributaries, which flow into the Olifants River. The Kammanassie River rises in the Outeniqua and Kammanassie mountains near Uniondale
and joins the Olifants River upstream of Oudtshoorn.
Swartberg
The Swartberg mountains make up a mountain range that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South Africa...
, and becoming the Olifants River after flowing through the Toorwaterpoort, flowing west through Oudtshoorn and joining the Gourits River
Gourits River
Gourits River, sometimes spelled Gouritz River, is situated in the Western Cape, South Africa.The Gourits River flows from the confluence of the Gamka River and Olifants River and is joined by the Groot River, before flowing through the Langeberg Mountains and coastal plain. It eventually drains...
, then heading south to its mouth at Gouritsmond.
The northern tributaries of the Olifants River rise in the Great Karoo to the north of the Swartberg Mountains, while the Olifants River itself rises to the east and flows westwards between the Swartberg and Kammanassie mountains to its confluence with the Gamka River
Gamka River
Gamka River, located in Western Cape, South Africa, the name 'Gamka' means 'Lion' and was probably named this by the San . The river originates north of Beaufort West, generally flowing southwest towards the Gamkapoort Dam....
. The southern slopes of the Swartberg Mountains are drained by the perennial Groot River
Groot River
Groot River may refer to any of the following rivers in South Africa:* Groot River * Groot River * Groot River * Orange River...
, Kango River, Grobbelaars River, Wynands River, Kansa River and Vlei River tributaries, which flow into the Olifants River. The Kammanassie River rises in the Outeniqua and Kammanassie mountains near Uniondale
Uniondale, Western Cape
Uniondale is a small town in the Little Karoo in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The town was formed in 1856 by the joining of two towns, Hopedale and Lyons. Its primary claim to fame is the ghost story of the Uniondale hitcher...
and joins the Olifants River upstream of Oudtshoorn.
Dams in the Olifants River
- Stompdrift DamStompdrift DamStompdrift Dam is dam on the Olifants River near De Rust, Western Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1965.- References :* from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry...
(capacity 55300000 cubic metres (1,952,901,041.6 cu ft)), - Kammanassie DamKammanassie DamKammanassie Dam is a dam on the Kammanassie River, near De Rust, Western Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1923.- References :* from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry...
(capacity 35800000 cubic metres (1,264,265,050.4 cu ft)), - Koos Raubenheimer (capacity 9200000 cubic metres (324,894,929.2 cu ft)),
- Melville Dam (capacity 400000 cubic metres (14,125,866.5 cu ft)).