| Gamtoos River | |
| Gamptoos River | |
| River | |
 Gamtoos River near its mouth into the Indian Ocean between Port Elizabeth and Jeffreys Bay, with the R102 bridge in the foreground and the N2 bridge in the background.
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| Country |  South Africa |
|---|---|
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| Source | _ |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
| - location | St. Francis Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| - coordinates | 33°58′8.75″S 25°1′58.08″E / 33.9690972°S 25.0328°E |
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Gamtoos River is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is approximately 645 km long with a catchment area of 34,635 km². The name Gamtoos is probably derived from a Khoikhoi clan whose name was given by early Dutch settlers as "Gamtousch".
Although the rainfall in the catchment area is low it supports a commercial irrigated agriculture in the lower catchment in which oranges, tobacco, citrus fruit and vegetables are grown. Where the Gamtoos river enters the Indian Ocean between Jeffreys Bay and Port Elizabeth there is the Gamtoos River Mouth Nature Reserve. The towns of Hankey, the oldest town situated in the Gamtoos river valley and Patensie is situated in the lower catchment. Further inland are the towns of Steytlerville, Joubertina, Uniondale, Willowmore and Murraysburg.
Saartjie Baartman - the "Hottentot Venus" - was born around 1789 in the vicinity of the Gamtoos river.
Two bridges cross the Gamtoos close to its mouth in the Kouga. The original 600 foot (180 m) bridge on the R102 was opened in 1895 in order to replace the ferry that was in use up to that time.[1] A modern concrete bridge was build during the construction of the N2 in the early 1970s.
In 1877 during a severe drought in the region, the Gamtoos River dried up completely. [2] During the floods of October 1867, the level of water in some parts of the river rose by up to 70 foot (21 m).[3]
References
- ^ Sellick, W.S.J. (1904). Uitenhage, past and present : souvenir of the Centenary, 1804-1904. pp. 186,187. http://www.archive.org/details/uitenhagepastpre00sell.
- ^ Sellick, W.S.J. (1904). Uitenhage, past and present : souvenir of the Centenary, 1804-1904. pp. 125. http://www.archive.org/details/uitenhagepastpre00sell.
- ^ Brown, John Croumbie (1877). "III - Supply of water as affected by rivers". Water supply of South Africa, and facilities for the storage of it. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd. pp. 125. http://www.archive.org/stream/watersupplyofsou00browrich#page/125/mode/1up. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
See also
External links
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