Olifants River (Western Cape)

Olifants River
River
A view of the Olifants River as it runs through the Cederberg mountain range a few kilometres upstream from Citrusdal
Country	South Africa
State	Western Cape Province
Source	Winterhoek Mountains
Mouth	Atlantic Ocean
- location	near Papendorp
- coordinates	31°42′S 18°13′E / 31.700°S 18.217°E / -31.700; 18.217Coordinates: 31°42′S 18°13′E / 31.700°S 18.217°E / -31.700; 18.217
Length	265 km (165 mi)
Basin	46,220 km2 (17,846 sq mi)
Location of the Olifants River mouth

The Olifants River (Afrikaans: Olifantsrivier) is a river in the southwestern area of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The upper and main catchment area of the Olifants river is around Ceres and the Cederberg mountains. The Clanwilliam and Bulshoek dams are located on the river and provide water for the towns and farms along the watercourse. The river is approximately 285 km long with a catchment area of 46,220 km² and flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Papendorp, 250 km north of Cape Town.

The Olifants River rises in the Winterhoek Mountains north of Ceres. The mainstem is about 265 km long. The river flows to the north-west through a deep, narrow valley that widens and flattens into a broad floodplain below Clanwilliam.

The river eventually drains into the Atlantic Ocean near Papendorp. At the mouth the Olifants river is split in two by an island that exhibits interesting rock formations.

Its main tributary is the Doring River, changing name as Melkboom/Oudrif before it joins the Olifants. The tributaries flowing from the east, such as the Thee River, Noordhoek River, Boontjies River, Rondegat River and the Jan Dissels River are typically perennial, except for the Sout River. Those flowing from the west, such as the Ratels River, Elandskloof River and the Seekoeivlei River are smaller and seasonal, not contributing much to the flow in the system.

Dams in the catchment area of the Olifants River:

The major towns in the Olifants/Doring river catchment include Lutzville, Vredendal and Vanrhynsdorp situated in the lower catchment area and Clanwilliam and Citrusdal in the middle catchment areas.