The Kraai River (literally "Crow River") is a tributary of the Orange River (also called Gariep River by locals) that flows near Barkly East in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
| Kraai River | |
|---|---|
 The river near Barkly East | |
  | |
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Moshesh's Ford |
| • coordinates | 30°51′9″S 27°46′40″E / 30.85250°S 27.77778°E |
| • elevation | 1,845 m (6,053 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Aliwal North, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
• coordinates | 30°40′2″S 26°45′6″E / 30.66722°S 26.75167°E |
• elevation | 1,340 m (4,400 ft) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Orange River |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Karnmelkspruit |
| • right | Bell River |
The Kraai River originates in the mountains south of Lesotho and flows westward from the confluence of the Bell River and the Sterk Spruit at Moshesh's Ford at 30°51′09″S 27°46′40″E / 30.852558°S 27.7777527°E all the way to Aliwal North, where it joins the Orange River at 30°40′02″S 26°45′06″E / 30.66715°S 26.75177°E.[1]
The river flows almost entirely over sandstone rocks of the Clarens Formation.
The Kraai is fishable, containing rainbow trout, brown trout and smallmouth yellowfish.[2]
In 1881[3]a sandstone[4] arch bridge called the J W Sauer bridge was completed over the river. The bridge linked communities in the Kraai River basin with Aliwal North. The Sauer bridge and the Loch Bridge on the farmTyger Krantz, are now Provincial Heritage sites.[5][6]
Major tributaries
- Bell River and a tributary of the Bell, the Kloppershoek Spruit
- Sterk Spruit, its tributaries are the Bok Spruit and Rifle Spruit
- Joggem Spruit
- Langkloof Spruit
- Diep Spruit and its tributary, the Three Drifts Stream
- Carlisleshoek Spruit and the Maartenshoek Spruit
- Klein Wildebeest Spruit
- Saalboom Spruit and its tributary, the Vaalhoek Spruit
- Karnmelk Spruit
See also
