Kouga River

The Kouga River originates near Uniondale, Eastern Cape, South Africa, and flows eastward, where it joins the Groot River to form the Gamtoos just past the Kouga Dam. Its main tributary is the Baviaanskloof River, which joins its left bank before the dam.[2]

Kouga River
Etymology'many hippos' in Khoekhoe[1]
Location
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
Physical characteristics
MouthGamtoos River
 • location
Confluence with Groot River (Eastern Cape)
 • coordinates
33°44′45″S 24°36′55″E
 • elevation
90 m (300 ft)

The Kouga is part of the Gamtoos river system which is formed by the Groot and the Baviaanskloof River.[3]

The Kouga Mountains to the north the river, Kouga Municipality and Kou-Kamma Municipality are named after this waterbody.

Ecology

In 1995 specimens of the Cape galaxias (Galaxias zebratus), a South African fish species endemic to the Cape Floristic Region, were found in the Kouga and in the Krom River. Until then it had been thought that its distribution was restricted to the area between the Keurbooms and the Olifants River.[4] Although in South Africa this relatively delicate fish is only classified as near threatened, in Australia species of the same genus were driven to extinction by competing salmonids and other introduced species of fish.[5]

See also

References
  1. Raper, Peter Edmund (1987). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Johannesburg: Lowry. ISBN 0947042067.
  2. Fish to Tsitsikamma WMA 15
  3. Catchment L, the Gamtoos River System Archived 2014-12-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Freshwater Ichthyology - The Cape galaxias Galaxias zebratus
  5. "Biodiversity, Alien trout, and the So what attitude" Archived 2012-12-25 at Archive.today
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