BLYDE RIVER: Hydrology and geohydrology

eWISA Home  |  BLYDE: MAIN INDEX | ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIVERS
                             
 

Map of the BLYDE River

E-mail us      
HYDROLOGY
The Blyde River catchment has a high rainfall and the water emanating from the Blyde River makes an important contribution to the base flows in the lower reaches of the Olifants River passing through the Kruger National Park. (Ref 1)
"This sub-catchment consists of the area drained by the Blyde River and its main tributary, the Ohrigstad River .  Both the Blyde and Ohrigstad rivers rise on the western slopes of the north-south trending Drakensberg Mountains and flow northwards towards the escarpment edge where they join at the Blydepoort Dam, which is located at the edge of the escarpment.  From the Blydepoort dam, the Blyde River cascades down a steep series of rapids to its lower reaches, where the river again flows northwards to join the Olifants River north of the town of Hoedspruit .  Ground water from the Chuniespoort dolomites provides an important component of the water in the Blyde River ."  (Ref 2)
"The Blydepoort Dam is the largest impoundment on the Blyde River and regulates flows in the lower reaches.  Several small farm dams in the upper reaches of the Blyde and Ohrigstad rivers trap water for domestic purposes and for limited areas of commercial irrigation, as well as livestock watering.  The small Ohrigstad Dam provides water for the town of Ohrigstad ." (Ref 2)
"Flow patterns in the upper reaches of the Blyde and Ohrigstad rivers are relatively stable as these rivers drain an area that receives some of the highest rainfalls recorded in South Africa (average rainfalls in the headwater regions of these two rivers exceeds 1,500 mm per year).  Both rivers are therefore perennial, though flows increase during the summer months when rain is received.  Smaller tributary streams in the upper reaches are also perennial, though their flows are more variable.  In its lower reaches, the Blyde River receives small quantities of water from several episodic tributary streams that only contain water during the summer months." (Ref 2)
    GEOHYDROLOGY                                    
0009102.JPG (65389 bytes) 0009103.JPG (75291 bytes) 0009104.JPG (85344 bytes)
  References                                      

Ref 1: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Olifants Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by GMKS, Tlou and Matji and WMB on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 04/000/00/0304 .

"Ref 2" (www.mining.wits.ac.za/FinalReport-Section5.doc)

  Useful links