The Tugela River (Zulu: Thukela; Afrikaans: Tugelarivier) is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. With a total length of 531 km (330 mi), it is one of the most important rivers of the country.[1]
Tugela
Thukela
The Tugela River with the Amphitheatre in the background
The course of the Tugela river, from the west to the east border of KwaZulu-Natal.
The river originates in Mont-aux-Sources of the Drakensberg Mountains at an elevation of almost 11,000 feet[2] and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls. The Mont-aux-Sources is also the origin of tributaries of two other major South African rivers, the Orange and the Caledon River. From the Drakensberg range, the Tugela follows a 531 km (330 mi) route through the KwaZulu-Natal midlands before flowing into the Indian Ocean.[3] The total catchment area is approximately 29,100 km2 (11,200 sq mi).[3] Land uses in the catchment are mainly rural subsistence farming and commercial forestry.
The scaly yellowfish(Labeobarbus natalensis) is found in the Tugela River System. It is a common endemic fish in KwaZulu-Natal Province and it is found in different habitats between the Drakensberg foothills and the coastal lowlands, including rivers such as the Umkomazi.[5]
Spellingedit
The spelling Tugela was used for most of the twentieth century; it is an Anglicised version of the Zulu name Thukela. Nineteenth-century writers adopted a variety of spellings including:
Isaacs (1836) used a number of different spellings in his book, Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa,[6] including Ootergale and Ootoogale.
C.R. Maclean (John Ross), writing in the Nautical Magazine in 1853, used the spelling Zootagoola[7]
George French Angas, a nineteenth-century artist, used the name Tugala on the captions to his sketches.[8]
Some of the variations can be accounted for by the early European writers being unaware that Zulu grammar uses prefixes, often a "i-" or a "u-", to denote the noun class of a noun.
^"Key rivers of South Africa". MyFundi. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10.
^ abChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Tugela" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 364. This has a very detailed description of the river's course.
^ abc"Proposal to establishment a Catchment Management Agency for the Thukela Water Management Area - Appendix A" (PDF). Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. July 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
^Nathaniel Isaacs (1836). Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa - Vol I. Edward Churton. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
^C.R. Maclean (February 1853). "Loss of the Brig Mary at Natal with Early Recollections of that Settlement - Two". The Nautical Magazine. pp. 74–80. Reproduced in Stephen Gray, ed. (1992). The Natal Papers of John Ross. ISBN978-0-869-80851-1.
^"Making outchoualla or native beer, at Gudu's kraal, Tugala River, Zulu country", a sketch by G F Angas; National Library of Australia.
External linksedit
Media related to Tugela River at Wikimedia Commons
February 06, 2024
tugela, river, other, uses, tugela, disambiguation, zulu, thukela, afrikaans, tugelarivier, largest, river, kwazulu, natal, province, south, africa, with, total, length, most, important, rivers, country, tugelathukelathe, with, amphitheatre, backgroundthe, cou. For other uses see Tugela disambiguation The Tugela River Zulu Thukela Afrikaans Tugelarivier is the largest river in KwaZulu Natal Province South Africa With a total length of 531 km 330 mi it is one of the most important rivers of the country 1 TugelaThukelaThe Tugela River with the Amphitheatre in the backgroundThe course of the Tugela river from the west to the east border of KwaZulu Natal LocationCountrySouth AfricaProvinceKwaZulu NatalTownsBergville ColensoPhysical characteristicsSource locationDrakensberg coordinates28 45 00 S 28 53 45 E 28 75000 S 28 89583 E 28 75000 28 89583MouthIndian Ocean coordinates29 13 26 S 31 30 0 E 29 22389 S 31 50000 E 29 22389 31 50000Length531 km 330 mi Basin size29 100 km2 11 200 sq mi Basin featuresTributaries leftBuffalo River rightMooi RiverThe river originates in Mont aux Sources of the Drakensberg Mountains at an elevation of almost 11 000 feet 2 and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls The Mont aux Sources is also the origin of tributaries of two other major South African rivers the Orange and the Caledon River From the Drakensberg range the Tugela follows a 531 km 330 mi route through the KwaZulu Natal midlands before flowing into the Indian Ocean 3 The total catchment area is approximately 29 100 km2 11 200 sq mi 3 Land uses in the catchment are mainly rural subsistence farming and commercial forestry Contents 1 Tributaries 2 Ecology 3 Spelling 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External linksTributaries edit nbsp British troops crossing the river during the Second Boer WarThe Tugela has a number of tributaries coming off the Drakensberg the largest being the Mzinyathi Buffalo River rising near Majuba Hill but also the Little Tugela River Klip River rising near Van Reenen Pass Mooi River Blood River Sundays River rising in the Biggarsberg Ingagani River and Bushman River 3 4 The Buffalo River joins the Tugela some 19 km 12 mi east of Tugela Ferry at 28 43 04 S 30 38 41 E 28 71778 S 30 64472 E 28 71778 30 64472 The Blood River was named by the Boers led by Andries Pretorius after they defeated the Zulu king Dingane on 16 December 1838 when the river is said to have run red with the blood of Zulu warriors Below the Blood River is Rorke s Drift a crossing point and a battle site in the Anglo Zulu War 2 Ecology editThe scaly yellowfish Labeobarbus natalensis is found in the Tugela River System It is a common endemic fish in KwaZulu Natal Province and it is found in different habitats between the Drakensberg foothills and the coastal lowlands including rivers such as the Umkomazi 5 Spelling editThe spelling Tugela was used for most of the twentieth century it is an Anglicised version of the Zulu name Thukela Nineteenth century writers adopted a variety of spellings including Isaacs 1836 used a number of different spellings in his book Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa 6 including Ootergale and Ootoogale C R Maclean John Ross writing in the Nautical Magazine in 1853 used the spelling Zootagoola 7 George French Angas a nineteenth century artist used the name Tugala on the captions to his sketches 8 Some of the variations can be accounted for by the early European writers being unaware that Zulu grammar uses prefixes often a i or a u to denote the noun class of a noun nbsp Tugela river mouthSee also editList of rivers in South AfricaDams on the TugelaDriel Barrage Dam Spioenkop Dam Woodstock DamNotes edit Key rivers of South Africa MyFundi Archived from the original on 2012 07 10 a b Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Tugela Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 27 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 364 This has a very detailed description of the river s course a b c Proposal to establishment a Catchment Management Agency for the Thukela Water Management Area Appendix A PDF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry July 2004 Retrieved 2008 10 21 Thukela WMA 7 Technical Report on the State of Yellowfishes in South Africa 2007 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2017 06 29 Retrieved 2012 03 29 Nathaniel Isaacs 1836 Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa Vol I Edward Churton Retrieved 2010 08 08 C R Maclean February 1853 Loss of the Brig Mary at Natal with Early Recollections of that Settlement Two The Nautical Magazine pp 74 80 Reproduced in Stephen Gray ed 1992 The Natal Papers of John Ross ISBN 978 0 869 80851 1 Making outchoualla or native beer at Gudu s kraal Tugala River Zulu country a sketch by G F Angas National Library of Australia External links edit nbsp Media related to Tugela River at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tugela River amp oldid 1184302703, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
