MARICO RIVER: Overview

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Map of the Marico River

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The Marico, Upper Molopo and Upper Ngotwane River catchments make up the western part of the Crocodile West and Marico Water Management Area. These catchments border on Botswana to the northwest, the Crocodile West catchment in the east, the Lower Vaal water management area and the Middle Vaal water management area in the south. (Ref 1)
The Groot Marico river is also known as Maligwa in Tswana - meaning "erratic river".  (www.routes.co.za/nw/grootmarico/index.html)

The Marico sub-management area corresponds to the catchment of the Marico River . Main tribuitaries of the Marico River include the Klein and Groot Marico rivers.   Major dams in this sub-catchment are the Marico-Bosveld Dam in the upper catchment and the Molatedi Dam further downstream.

The town of Zeerust   is found in this sub-management area with smaller settlements scattered throughout. The Groot Marico River is fed by a number of springs within the Groot Marico dolomitic aquifer compartment.   These dolomitic eyes include the Molemane Eye and the Marico Eye. The upper reaches of this catchment are not densely populated.(www.csir.co.za/rhp/state_of_rivers/crocwestmarico_05/crocwestmarico_05_A3.pdf )

This sub-catchment consists of the area drained by the Marico River , from its headwaters in the dolomitic aquifers between the towns of Zeerust and Lichtenburg, to its confluence with the Ngotwane River to form the Limpopo River .  There are four relatively large water supply dams located in this sub-catchment, of which the Marico Dam also supplies water to the City of Gaborone in Botswana .  The main stem of the Marico River is perennial, but most of its tributaries have seasonal or episodic flows.  In addition to the larger water supply dams, the sub-catchment also contains a large number of smaller farm dams used to trap runoff in seasonal channels and supply this water either for livestock watering or for small-scale irrigation schemes.  (Ref 2)
  References                                      

Ref 1:  Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective of the Marico-Upper Molopo & Upper Ngotwane catchments. Prepared by Goba Moahloli Keeve Steyn in association with Golder and Associates and Tlou and Matji (Pty) Ltd. DWAF Report No. P WMA 03/000/00/0404

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

  Useful links                                      
The Marico River Photo Album