VAAL RIVER: Overview

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Map of the Vaal River

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Although a "tributary" of the Orange River, the Vaal River catchment is one of largest and most important catchments in South Africa, supplying water to the "industrial heart" of South Africa. The Vaal River originates on the plateau west of the Drakensberg escarpment and drains much of the central highveld of South Africa.

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry divided the Vaal River catchment in three water management areas, that is the the Upper Vaal, Middle Vaal and the Lower Vaal Water Management Areas. The confluence with the Orange River is at Douglas in the Northern Cape.

The Upper Vaal Water Management Area includes the Vaal, Klip, Wilge, Liebenbergsvlei and Mooi Rivers and extends to the confluence of the Mooi and Vaal Rivers. It covers a catchment area of 55 565 km2. This area includes the very important dams Vaal Dam, Grootdraai Dam and Sterkfontein Dam. The southern half of the area extends over the Free State, the north-east mainly falls within Mpumalanga and the northern and western parts in Gauteng and North West provinces respectively. 
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The Middle Vaal Water Management Area is downstream of the confluence of the Vaal and the Rietspruit Rivers and upstream of Bloemhof Dam. It extends to the headwaters of the Schoonspruit River in the north and the Vet River in the south, covering a total catchment area of 52 563 km2. The area includes parts of Free State and North-West provinces.  Major rivers in the Middle Vaal Water Management Area include the Schoonspruit, Rhenoster, Vals, Vet and Vaal rivers. (Ref.2.)
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The Lower Vaal Water Management Area is between the Bloemhof Dam and the confluence of the Vaal River and the Orange River at Douglas in the Northern Cape. Major tributaries of the Vaal in this area include the Harts and the Dry Harts. (Ref.3.)
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  References                                      

Ref 1. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Upper Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 08/000/00/0304.

Ref 2. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa, Middle Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective, 2004. Prepared by PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 on behalf of the Directorate: Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 09/000/00/0304)

Ref 3. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Lower Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 10/000/00/0304).

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