The Kat River ( af, Katrivier) is a tributary of the
Great Fish River
The Great Fish River (called ''great'' to distinguish it from the Namibian Fish River) ( af, Groot-Visrivier) is a river running through the South African province of the Eastern Cape. The coastal area between Port Elizabeth and the Fish R ...
, that drains the southern slopes of the
Winterberg in the
Eastern Cape Province
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 199 ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
.
Etymology
Kat, meaning "cat", is a translation of the
Khoekhoen
Khoekhoen (singular Khoekhoe) (or Khoikhoi in the former orthography; formerly also '' Hottentots''"Hottentot, n. and adj." ''OED Online'', Oxford University Press, March 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/88829. Accessed 13 May 2018. Citing G. S. ...
word "huncu", that apparently referred to the
wildcats
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...
of the area.
It lent its name to
Katberg
Katberg is a hamlet high up in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. ...
, the
Katberg Pass
Katberg Pass is a mountain pass situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of ...
and the
Kat River Settlement.
Course and utilization
The long Kat River rises 30 km north of
Fort Beaufort
Fort Beaufort ( Xhosa: iBhofolo) is a town in the Amatole District of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, and had a population of 25,668 in 2011. The town was established in 1837 and became a municipality in 1883. The town lies at the conflu ...
[ in the Katberg escarpment of the Winterberg. At it forms a northern tributary of the ]Great Fish River
The Great Fish River (called ''great'' to distinguish it from the Namibian Fish River) ( af, Groot-Visrivier) is a river running through the South African province of the Eastern Cape. The coastal area between Port Elizabeth and the Fish R ...
, northeast of Fort Brown[ and south of Hamburg, Eastern Cape.
It supplies the Kat River Valley with irrigation water for large ]citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
orchards, and supplies Seymour and Fort Beaufort with domestic water.
;Dams
* Katrivier Dam
Katrivier Dam is a multi-arch type dam located on the Kat River, near Seymour, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1969. The primary purpose of the dam is to serve for irrigation and domestic use. The hazard potential of the dam has ...
See also
* List of rivers in South Africa
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
References
Rivers of the Eastern Cape
{{SouthAfrica-river-stub