Breede River
- Overview
- Tributaries
- Geophysical
- Hydrology; Geohydrology
- Ecology
- Climate
- Land-uses
- Populated Places
- Water Infrastructure
- References
Overview
The Breede River Valley is one of the major fruit and wine producing areas in South Africa.
The origin of the Breede River is in the “Warm Bokkeveld” near Ceres, but the river is also fed by important tributaries such as the Hex River and the Riviersonderend. The area from the east of the Langeberg mountains (Die Koo) also drains via a break in the mountains between Montague and Ashton to the Breede River. The river exits the “Valley” between Bonnievale and Swellendam and meanders for approximately km over the coastal plane south of Swellendam before reaching the mouth at Cape Infanta (Witsand).
The valley is surrounded by impressive mountain ranges (Cape Folded Montains), the Langeberge at the east, the Slanghoek, DuToits and Stettyns mountains at the west and the Riviersonderend mountains in the south.
The Breede River catchment (12600km2) and its main tributary, the Riviersonderend river drain the greater part of the water management area. The Breede River itself is 322km long, rising in the Skurweberg Mountains near Ceres and draining into the estuary mouth between Infanta and Witsand.
The Breede River originates near Ceres andis drained by four main tributaries (Dwars, Koekoedouw, Titus and Witels river) which form its headwaters. The river reach then extends from Mitchells Pass, in a south easterly direction to the foot of the Limietberg Mountains. Here it is joined by the Witte, Slanghoek, Molenaars/Smalbaar, Holsloot, Waboomsrivier and Jan du Toit’s rivers respectively.
The Central Breede sub-catchment is the area downstream of Brandvlei Dam to the confluence of the Breede River with the Riviersonderend river. This area consists of intensively cultivated lands of orchards and vineyards in theWorcester and Robertson area. The sub-catchment contains several relatively small tributaries; such as the Nuy (and Koo), Kogmanskloof, Doring, Poesjenels, Konings, Keisers, Groot and Boesman rivers. These rivers drain the Waboomberge, the northern and southern slopes of the Langeberg range, and the northern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains. Within this reach the Breede River starts to show characteristics of a lowland system, with the channel broadening, the gradient becoming more gentle and the substrate becoming dominated by gravel and sand. The flow of many of these tributaries has been altered from being perennial streams to becoming mostly seasonal as a result of the abstraction of water for intensive agricultural practices in the surrounding areas.
The Lower Breede sub-catchment: The Lower Breede sub-catchment includes the lower reaches of the Breede River after its confluence with the Riviersonderend river. In this section the river widens, becoming a meandering lowland system. The most significant tributary to join the Breede River along its lower reaches is the Buffelsjag River, which drains in the north-western portion of this sub-area.
Tributaries
| Name | Comment |
|---|---|
| Boesmans River | The origin is in the Langeberge. Flow is regulated by the Buffelsjags Dam |
| Buffelsjags River | |
| Doring River | |
| Dwars River | |
| Groot River | |
| Hex River | |
| Hoeks River | |
| Holsloot River | |
| Kingna River | Near Montagu |
| Koekedouw River | |
| Kogmanskloof River | |
| Konings River | Draining the area at McGregor |
| Keisers River | |
| Molenaars River | |
| Nuy River | |
| Poesjenels River | Draining a valley called Agter-Kliphoogte, south of Robertson |
| Riviersonderend | The major tributary of the Breede River, draining the southern slopes of the Riviersonderend mountains. The origin is in the Franschoek Mountains, upstream of the Theewaterskloof dam, an important water source for the Cape Peninsula. |
| Slang River | Draining the western coastal plain south of Swellendam. |
| Dipkar River | Draining the western coastal plain south of Swellendam. |
| Titus River | |
| Witels River | |
| Slanghoek River |
Geophysical
Topography
The topography of the Breede Water Management Area is characterised by mountain ranges in the north and west, the wide Breede River valley, and the rolling hills of the Overberg. The Breede valley is flanked by the Franschhoek and Du Toit’s Mountains in the west, the Hex River Mountains to the north and the Langeberg Mountains in the east. The higher peaks reach an altitude of 1500m-2000m.
The topography of the Breede-Overberg area is characterised by the Franschoek and Du Toit’s Mountains in the west, the Hex River Mountains to the north and the Langeberg Mountains in the east, with a wide Breede River valley and the rolling hills of the Overberg in the south.
The profile of the Breede River (from the origin near Ceres to the mouth at Witsand) is illustrated below:
Geology
Upper Breede: Quartzitic Table Mountain sandstone, Bokkeveld and Malmesbury shales, Enon conglomerate.
Central Breede: Quartzitic Table Mountain sandstone, Bokkeveld and Malmesbury shales.
Lower Breede: Table Mountain and Witteberg sandstone, Bokkeveld shales, Enon conglomerate, Coastal deposits.
Hydrology and Geohydrology
Hydrology
The total Mean Annual Runoff (MAR) of the Breede River is 1803 million m3/a. The contribution from the Upper Breede, Riviersonderend and the Lower Breede are 1092, 439, 272 million m3/a respectively.
Geohydrology
The current estimate of actual groundwater use in the Breede River catchments is 103 million m3/a, much of which is abstracted out of the alluvial aquifers, and the Bokkeveld and Karoo fractured rock aquifers. The Table Mountain Group aquifers of the Upper Breede sub-area are a potential source of supply, both for in-catchment use and for supply to the Berg Water Management.
Ecology
Overview
The Breede River, and most of its tributaries, contain sensitive aquatic ecosystems and support ecologically important wetlands and estuaries. An example is the Papenkuils Wetland which contains a variety of wetland and terrestrial flora that are worthy of conservation and are not conserved elsewhere.
The Breede River estuary is one of the most valuable in the country but also the most threatened in terms of upstream development.
Aquatic Animals
The Breede River is home to a unique indigenous fish fauna and the system has four recognised primary freshwater fish species. These are the Berg-Breede whitefish, Burchell’s redfin, Cape Galaxias and the Cape kurper.
The longfin eel are also known to occur in the Breede system along with some estuarine round-herring and the oval moony.
Terrestrial Animals
Currently close to 50% of the existing Blue Crane population resides in the Western Cape with the majority (nearly 40%) occurring in the Overberg region.
Vegetation
The Central-Breede sub-catchment consists of intensively cultivated lands of orchards and vineyards in the Worcester and Robertson area.
Upper Breede: Mountain fynbos and Central Mountain Renosterveld
Central Breede: Mountain fynbos, Central Mountain Renosterveld, Little Succulent Karoo.
Lower Breede: Mountain fynbos, Central Mountain Renosterveld, Little Succulent Karoo.
Climate
Temperature
The mean annual temperature varies between 17ºC in the east to 15ºC along the south-west coast, with an average of 17ºC for the whole Water Management Area. Maximum temperatures are experienced in January (average daily max = 37ºC) and minimum temperatures usually occur in July (average daily min = 0ºC). Frost occurs throughout the WMA in winter, typically between mid-May and late August.
Rainfall
Most of the rain falls between the months of May and August. An all year round rainfall pattern prevails in the far south-east. Occasional snowfalls occur on the mountains in the south-west and north-west of the Water Management Area during most winters. In the high mountainous regions in the south-west, the maximum MAP exceeds 3 000mm, but rainfall is as low 250mm in the central and north-eastern Breede River valley and other interior valleys. The average potential mean annual evaporation (measured by S-Pan) ranges from 1200 mm in the south to 1700 mm in the north of the Water Management Area.
Rainfall is mostly Winter to all year.
Land-uses
Agricultural
Decidious fruit – Wine grapes: Viticulture is an important practice in the Breede River Valley.
Intensive irrigation takes place along the Breede and Riviersonderend Rivers and in their tributary valleys. Irrigated crop types include orchard crops, vineyards for wine and table grapes, citrus, as well as some cash crops and lucerne. Afforestation is confined to the high rainfall mountainous areas, almost entirely in the Upper Riviersonderend River catchments.
Land-use is characterised by large expanses of dry land cultivation In the southern Overberg areas agricultural activities mostly relate to large expanses of dry land cultivation, where wheat is the predominant crop type.
Land-use consists of large expanses of dry land cultivation in the southern Overberg areas, where wheat is the main crop type. Intensive irrigation takes place along the Breede River. Irrigated crop types include orchard crops, vineyards for wine and table grapes, citrus, as well as some cash crops and Lucerne.
Livestock farming is practiced throughout the region.
Nature Conservation, Reserves and Tourism
The Breede River and its tributaries contain sensitive aquatic ecosystems and support ecologically important wetlands and estuaries (an example is the Papenkuils Wetland in the Upper Breede). The Breede River estuary is one of the most valuable estuaries in the country but also the most threatened in terms of upstream development.
Populated Places
| Town | District | Municipality | River/Tributary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton | Cape Winelands | Breede River/Winelands | |
| Bonnievale | Cape Winelands | Breede River/Winelands | Breede River |
| Ceres | Cape Winelands | Witzenberg | |
| De Doorns | Cape Winelands | Breede Valley | Hex River |
| Mc Gregor | Cape Winelands | Breede River/Winelands | Keiser River |
| Montagu | Cape Winelands | Breede River/Winelands | |
| Rawsonville | Cape Winelands | Breede Valley | |
| Riviersonderend | Overberg | Theewaterskloof | Riviersonderend |
| Robertson | Cape Winelands | Breede River/Winelands | Breede River |
| Swellendam | Overberg | Swellendam | |
| Tulbagh | Cape Winelands | Witzenberg | |
| Villersdorp | Overberg | Theewaterskloof | |
| Witsand | Eden | Langeberg | Breede River |
| Wolseley | Cape Winelands | Witzenberg | |
| Worcester | Cape Winelands | Breede Valley | Breede River |
Water Infrastructure
Dams
| Name | Max. Capacity (cub.mil.m) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Buffeljags Dam | 5.2 | Buffelsjags River. |
| Koekedouw Dam | 23 | This supplies water to the Koekedouw Water User Association for irrigation, and also supplies the town of Ceres. The Ceres dam was originally built in 1954, approximately 9km from the source of the Koekedouw river. an earthquake damaged the dam to such an extent that it needed to be demolished and was reconstructed entirely in 1998. |
| Greater Brandvlei Dam | 342 | Off-channel storage dam, to a capacity of 342 million m3 by a canal from diversions out of the Smalblaar and Holsloot Rivers (tributaries of the Breede River) |
| Kwaggaskloof Dam | ||
| Lakenvallei Dam | ||
| Osplaas Dam | ||
| Roode Els Berg Dam | 8 | The Lakenvallei and Roode Elsberg Dams in the Hex River catchment have a combined capacity of 18 million m3 |
| Stettynskloof Dam | 16 | Holsloot River/Breede River. Owner: Breede Valley Municipality) |
| Theewaterskloof Dam | 434 | The dam is the source reservoir for the Riviersonderend-Berg-Eerste River Government Water Scheme, supplying water for urban use to the Greater Cape Town area (including Stellenbosch), and water for agricultural use in the Eerste River and Berg River catchments. |
References
South African Estuaries. Catchment land-cover. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
Rivers of the Breede Water Management Area 2011 – State of Rivers Report
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Breede Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by Ninham Shand (Pty) Ltd in association with Jakoet & Associates, Umvoto Africa and Tlou and Matji, on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA18/000/00/0304.