Mogalakwena River
Mogalakwena | |
---|---|
Location of the Mogalakwena River mouth | |
Etymology | Meaning "fierce crocodile", from bogale or mogale, 'fierce' and kwena, 'crocodile' in the Tswana language[1] |
Location | |
Country | South Africa |
State | Limpopo Province |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• coordinates | 24°16′25″S 28°58′37″E / 24.27361°S 28.97694°E |
• elevation | 1,060 m (3,480 ft) |
Source confluence | Nyl River |
• location | South of confluence with |
Mouth | |
• location | Limpopo River, South Africa/Botswana border |
• coordinates | 22°27′24″S 28°55′25″E / 22.45667°S 28.92361°ECoordinates: 22°27′24″S 28°55′25″E / 22.45667°S 28.92361°E |
• elevation | 634 m (2,080 ft) |
Basin size | 19,195 km2 (7,411 sq mi) |
[2] |
The Mogalakwena River (Afrikaans: Magalakwenarivier) is one of the main watercourses in Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is also a major tributary of the Limpopo River.
Course[]
This river flows from the eastern side of the Waterberg Massif northeastwards through a wide flooded plain as the Nyl River. After about 80 km it starts bending northwards and its name changes to Mogalakwena. Then it flows across Limpopo Province until it joins the right bank of the Limpopo River at the South Africa/Botswana border.[3]
The basin of the Mogalakwena is affected by a five-year rain cycle in which the river is virtually dry for five years, followed by another five years in which there is sufficient water flow.[4] There are 8 dams in the Mogalakwena basin.[5]
The highest concentration of hippopotamus in the Limpopo River is found between the Mokolo and the Mogalakwena Rivers.[6]
Tributaries[]
The upper or southernmost stretch of the Mogalakwena River is the Nyl River, known for its wide flood-plain, also known as the Nyl pan (Afrikaans: Nylsvlei). The flood-plain is partially conserved in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve,[7] and incorporates one of the largest single ecosystems in South Africa for aquatic birds.[8]
The , , (right), (right), (right), (left), (left), (left), (right), (right), (right), and are some of the tributaries of the Mogalakwena.[9][10]
Dams in the basin[]
- Glen Alpine Dam
- Doorndraai Dam, in the
- , in the
- , in the
See also[]
- Mogalakwena Local Municipality
- Drainage basin A
- List of rivers of South Africa
- List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
References[]
- ^ Dictionary of Southern African Place Names Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ Major rivers and streams within the Limpopo River Basin Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ Limpopo WMA 1
- ^ Mogalakwena municipality: assessment of information[permanent dead link] (PDF) Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ Mogalakwena Sub-basin Archived 2012-04-20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ State of Rivers Report: the Mokolo River (PDF)
- ^ "Nylsvlei Nature Reserve". Archived from the original on 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
- ^ Hydrological and hydraulic modelling of the Nyl River floodplain (PDF) Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ Mogalakwena catchment (PDF)
- ^ Walton, Christopher (ed.); O'Hagan, Tim (1984). Reader's Digest Atlas of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Reader's Digest Association South Africa. pp. 190–191, 194. ISBN 0-947-008-02-0.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
External links[]
- Study to determine mine-linked water needs nears completion
- Limpopo River Basin - SARDC
- ZA007 Nyl river flood-plain
- Mogalakwena River
- Rivers of South Africa
- Rivers of Limpopo
- Tributaries of the Limpopo River
- Limpopo geography stubs
- South Africa river stubs