Kat River
Kat River Katrivier | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | South Africa |
Region | Eastern Cape |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Winterberg, Eastern Cape |
• coordinates | 32°34′17″S 26°45′34″E / 32.57139°S 26.78634°E |
Mouth | |
• location | Great Fish River, Eastern Cape |
• coordinates | 32°59′44″S 26°47′5″E / 32.99556°S 26.78472°E |
Length | 150 km (93 mi) |
The Kat River (Afrikaans: Katrivier) is a tributary of the Great Fish River, that drains the southern slopes of the Winterberg in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Etymology
[edit]Kat, meaning "cat", is a translation of the Khoekhoen word "huncu", that apparently referred to the wildcats of the area.[1] It lent its name to Katberg, the Katberg Pass and the Kat River Settlement.
Course and utilization
[edit]The 150 kilometres (93 mi) long Kat River rises 30 km north of Fort Beaufort[1] in the Katberg escarpment of the Winterberg. At 32°59′44″S 26°47′5″E / 32.99556°S 26.78472°E it forms a northern tributary of the Great Fish River, northeast of Fort Brown[1] and south of Hamburg, Eastern Cape.
It supplies the Kat River Valley with irrigation water for large citrus orchards, and supplies Seymour and Fort Beaufort with domestic water.
- Dams
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 242.