| DIEP RIVER: Overview |
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eWISA Home | DIEP: MAIN INDEX | ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIVERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Map of the Diep River |
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The Diep River drains the area
between the Kasteel Mountain (north of Malmesbury) and the northern
slopes of the Durbanville Hills.
The Diep River flows into the Rietvlei wetland at Tableview and the Milnerton estuary. The mouth of the Milnerton estuary is approximately 5 km north of the Port of Cape Town. |
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The Milnerton estuary is a relative small estuary with interaction between saline seawater and fresh water from the Diep River. The water body can be considered as a coastal plain estuary, with a bar-built mouth, in which the river flow is normally small, compared to the tidal prism (the volume of water between high and low tides). The estuary is relatively shallow (maximum 3 m deep) with mud flats in the upper region and an ‘artificial’ flow channel of rectangular shape. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Refer to "Friends of Rietvlei" (http://www.friendsofrietvlei.co.za/), "Rietvlei is a freshwater wetland located on the floodplain of the Diep River before it drains into Milnerton Lagoon and finally into Table Bay. There is a permanent freshwater lake, shallow seasonally inundated pans, extensive reedbeds, true riverine habitat and a tidal lagoon. With the gradual removal of alien vegetation, tracts of typical Strandveld flora and fauna are flourishing. The springtime wild flowers are a wonderful sight. Approximately 560 hectares in size, its location ensures that both freshwater and coastal birds are regularly seen. The wide diversity of habitats makes this wetland system particularly impressive, in both the variety of species to be found, and the sheer numbers of birds present." |
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The catchment comprises the Swartland and Sandveld regions in the western lowland area of the Western Cape. (Ref 2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| References | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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River Health Programme (2005). State of
Rivers Report. Greater Cape Town's Rivers. Department of Water Affairs
and Forestry.
Ref 2: Estuaries of the Cape, Report No. 28, Rietvlei(CW 24)and Diep(CW25)CSIR RESEARCH REPORT 427 |
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| Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Dam information and levels) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
