Swakop River
| Mouth of the watercourse | Atlantic Ocean  |
|---|---|
| Tributary | Khan River |
| Basin country | Namibia |
| Country | Namibia |
| Coordinate location | 22°39′42″S 14°37′0″E, 21°50′30″S 17°15′35″E, 22°41′19″S 14°31′20″E, 22°41′0″S 14°31′0″E |
De Swakop River (Khoekhoe: Tsoaxaub)[1] be a major river insyd western central Namibia. Ein source be insyd de Khomas Highland. From der e dey flow westwards thru de town of Okahandja, de historic mission station at Gross Barmen, den de settlement of Otjimbingwe. E then dey cross de Namib desert den dey reach de Atlantic Ocean at Swakopmund ('Mouth of the Swakop'). De Swakop be an ephemeral river; ein run-off roughly be 40 million cubic metres per annum.[2] E reach de Atlantic Ocean most recently insyd 2011, 2022,[3] den 2025.[4]
De Swakop River, along plus ein main tributary Khan, be one of de largest temporary water-bearing rivers insyd de dry western part of Namibia. E be 460 km (290 mi) long wey e get a 30,100 km2 (11,600 sq mi) large catchment area (wey dey include ein tributaries).[5]
De area around de river mouth den de surrounding dunes sanso be known for rich bird life den sam unusual plant species (like de Welwitschia) wey dey use de regular fog drifting in from de sea to sustain demaselves in de absence of oda moisture.
Groundwater levels insyd de area drop about 0.3 m further secof de presence of two big dams dem build for de Swakop River top.[6]
Notwithstanding de river ein irregular flow, sam agriculture dey undertake insyd de Swakop River valley. Thus, de region be well known for ein fresh produce, especially tomatoes, asparagus den olives. Der be sam fears of salt den uranium (possibly natural, possibly from de Rössing uranium mine) wey dey endanger dis farming industry.[6][7]
Etymology
[edit | edit source]De name dey cam from de Khoekhoe phrase Tsoa-xaub, from tsoa ("anus") den xaub ("excrement"). De name dey derive from de observation of de flow of large amounts of brownish sludge wey dey discharge into de Atlantic Ocean plus de rains.[8]
Hydrology
[edit | edit source]De Swakop dey drain a catchment area of 30,100 km2 wey dey extend from de mouth into de Atlantic Ocean at Swakopmund over Otjimbingwe den insyd de east to about 50 km from Okahandja, den insyd de south to Khomas Highlands outsyd Windhoek. De highest point of de watershed dey locate at 2,480 m. Annual rainfall dey vary from 0 mm insyd de lower dey reach up to 475 mm insyd de eastern Khomas Highlands. Rainfall dey exceed 300 mm per year insyd 39% of de catchment area, den up to 80% of de catchment dey experience annual rainfall above 100 mm.[5][9]
Vegetation den fauna
[edit | edit source]Secof ein size den scope, de Swakop get a very diverse catchment area. 29% of de area dey insyd highveld savanna, 28% insyd thornveld savanna, 34% insyd semidesert den savanna transition zone, den 9% insyd de central Namib Desert.[5] Insyd de Highlands a more anaa less dense bush vegetation dey prevail. Insyd de arid lower reaches der be a more limited flora insyd de Swakop River valley einself, plus de typical gallery vegetation from ana trees (Faidherbia albida), tamarisk (Tamarix), camel thorn (Acacia erioloba), Salvadora, various fig species, Euclea den sanso tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), Jimsonweed (Datura) den mesquite (Prosopis spp.) as invasive species.[10]
Usage den colonisation
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Unlike de rest of de dry rivers insyd western Namibia, der be large human settlements insyd de basin of de Swakop River, such as de towns of Usakos, Karibib, Otjimbingwe, Okahandja den Namibia ein capital, Windhoek, so dat de population insyd de catchment area be more dan 200,000 persons.[5]
De Swakop Bridge insyd Swakopmund be a notable man-made sight near de place wer de river dey empty into de ocean.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Malan, Johan S (1998). Die Völker Namibias [The Tribes of Namibia] (in German). Windhoek, Göttingen: Klaus Hess. pp. 134–135.
- ↑ "Elections 2010: Erongo regional profile". New Era. 24 June 2005.
- ↑ Cindy van Wyk, Ellanie Smit (17 Feb 2022). "Swakop River reaches ocean after more than a decade". Namibian Sun (in English). Namibia Media Holdings. Retrieved 2 Apr 2025.
- ↑ Braune, Laura (1 April 2025). "Swakop River". Instagram. Retrieved 2 Apr 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Jacobson, Peter J.; Jacobson, Kathryn M.; Seely, Mary K. (1995). Ephemeral rivers and their catchments: Sustaining people and development in western Namibia (PDF 8.7MB). Windhoek: Desert Research Foundation of Namibia. pp. 138–139. ISBN 9991670947.
- 1 2 Fillemon, Nampa. "MTC investigated over disappearing data complaints". The Namibian (in American English). Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ "Rössing in the Erongo Region". Rössing Uranium Limited. Archived from the original on 2006-12-30. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
- ↑ Raper, Peter (1987) Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Johannesburg: Lowry Publishers.
- ↑ Clifford, T. N. (2008-03-01). "The geology of the Neoproterozoic Swakop-Otavi transition zone in the Outjo District, northern Damara Orogen, Namibia". South African Journal of Geology. 111 (1): 117–140. Bibcode:2008SAJG..111..117C. doi:10.2113/gssajg.111.1.117. ISSN 1012-0750.
- ↑ Cowlishaw, Guy; Davies, Jonathan G. (June 1997). "Flora of the Pro-Namib Desert Swakop River Catchment, Namibia: community classification and implications for desert vegetation sampling". Journal of Arid Environments. 36 (2): 271–290. Bibcode:1997JArEn..36..271C. doi:10.1006/jare.1996.0203. ISSN 0140-1963.
External links
[edit | edit source]
- Klaus Hüser, Helga Besler, Wolf Dieter Blümel, Klaus Heine, Hartmut Leser, Uwe Rust: Namibia – Eine Landschaftskunde in Bildern. Klaus Hess, Göttingen/Windhoek 2001, ISBN 978-3-933117-14-4
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