SOUTH WEST COAST ESTUARIES (St Helena Bay to Cape Agulhas)

The area between the Berg River and the Diep River mouth at Milnerton (approximately 130 km) is drained by a few relatively small streams. A few small rivers drain the western slopes of the peninsula's mountains.
 

Bok River       
The Bok River drains the area west of Sandanha Bay. The mouth is in Saldanha Bay, north of the iron ore jetty. Effluent from the Saldanha Bay sewage treat is discharged into the river.    

 
  Information available (Legend):    
Modder River     
The Modder River drains the Dassenberg hills at Mamre. The mouth is at Grotto Bay.     
Diep River      
The  Diep River drains the area between the Kasteel Mountain (north of Malmesbury) and the northern slopes of the Durbanville Hills.    
  Information available (Legend):    
Salt River    
The Salt River is the last 2.5 km of a network of rivers and streams, draining the northern part of the Cape Flats, the eastern and southern slopes of Tygerberg Hills and the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.    
Hout Bay River     
The Hout Bay River (the Disa in the upper catchment) drains the southern slopes of Table and Constantia Mountains, the picturesque Hout Bay basin. The mouth is in Hout Bay. The origin of the Disa River is at the Woodhead Dam.      
  Information available (Legend):      
 

Else River       
Draining the mountains at Simon's Town.        
Silvermine River     
The river mouth is in Vishoek.    
Zandvlei.      
A number of small rivers, draining the southeastern slopes of Table Mountain flow into Zandvlei at Muizenberg.    
Zeekoevlei.    
Small rivers draining the eastern area of the Cape Flats flows into Zeekoevlei, which discharges an overflow from a weir via a short channel to Sunrise Beach at Muizenberg.      
  Information available (Legend):      
Eerste/Kuils Rivers      
The Eerste/Kuils rivers are the major rivers which flow into False Bay, draining the eastern area of the Cape Flats, the Bottelary mountains as well as the Jonkershoek mountains at Stellenbosch. The mouth, referred to as the Eerste River mouth, is at Macassar beach.      
  Information available (Legend):      
Lourens River      
Draining the eastern slopes of Helderberg and the western slopes of the Hottentots Holland mountains.      
  Information available (Legend):      
Sir Lowry's Pass River.      
Draining the western slopes of the Hottentots Holland mountains and Gordon's Bay.      
Steenbras River      
An important water source for the Cape Peninsula. The length of the Upper and Lower Steenbras dams in the river is more than half of the total river length.      
Rooiels River      
The Rooiels river catchment lies within the Blousteenberge which are situated at the southern extension of the Hottentots Holland Mountain Range.      
Information available (Legend):      
Palmiet River      
Draining the mountainous area between Grabouw and Kleinmond. The catchment area is approximately 500 km2.      
Bot River      
Draining the Overberg area of Botrivier and Caledon. The catchment area is approximately 810 km2.      
  Information available (Legend):      
Klein River      
Draining the southern slopes of the Kleinrivierberge east of Hermanus. The catchment area is approximately 750 km2.      
Boesmans River      
The mouth is at Uilkraalsmond (south of Gans Bay). The catchment area is approximately 310 km2.      
Ratel River      
Draining the "Rooi-Strandveld" between Quin Point and Cape Agulhas.      
         

 

 References:
1. Catchment areas: Estuaries of the Cape (Part 1). A.E.F.Heydorn & K.L.Tinley. 1980.

2. South African Estuaries. Catchment land-cover. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. http://www.environment.gov.za/soer/estuary/tables.html
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Map
Overview and location
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