KOWIE RIVER: Hydrology and geohydrology

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Map of the KOWIE River

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HYDROLOGY

The flow in most of the Eastern Cape rivers is normally very irregular and although the Kowie river is considered to be perennial, under abnormal drought conditions flow of the river can stop for 2 to 3 months (Stewart et al, 1962), (Hill 1967) and Port Alfred Municipality (pers.comm.). According to Ninham Shand (1971) the flow of the Kowie river is very unreliable and although rain may fall in the catchment this does not necessarily result in an increase in flow of the river.  For example, during a 20-month period between 1961 to 1963 there was no apparent flow in the Kowie river above "Ebb and Flow" even though rain fell in the catchment during that period.  The river is reported to have a very swift "run down" period resulting in high flow of a short duration.  (Ref 1)

Mean annual runoff figures in million cubic metres for the Kowie are as follows: 23,0 (Noble and Hemens, 1978), 23,6 (Midgley and Pitman, 1969), approximately 17,0 (Ninham Shand, 1971) and 40,6 (calculated from Directorate of Water Affairs flow records).  (Ref 1)

GEOHYDROLOGY

References

Ref 1:  ESTUARIES OF THE CAPE- Report no. 10 KOWIE (CSE10) CSIR RESEARCH REPORT 409

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