ESTUARIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

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KEURBOOMS RIVER ESTUARY: General information and location

	General
	The combined estuary of the Keurbooms and Bitou Rivers lies on the sandy, micro-tidal coast of Formosa Bay. ^{(Ref 1)}
	Location (co-ordinates)

			Map of the Keurbooms River Estuary
	Dimensions
	The estuary is partially contained behind a barrier dune and a permanent tidal inlet connects it to the sea. The constricted inlet reduces the spring tidal range from 1,6m on the seaward side of the barrier to 1,0m in the estuary (Reddering, 1981). The Keurbooms/Bitou Estuary can be divided into three main components: The Keurbooms Estuary which extends for 7km from its confluence with the Bitou to the head near Whiskey Creek; The Bitou Estuary which is 6,7km long from its head at Wittedrift to the confluence with the Keurbooms; The lagoon 3,5km in length. At the time of writing the mouth lies approximately 1,5 km north-east from Lookout Rocks. ^{(Ref 1)}