The Marico River or Madikwe is a river in

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number o ...

. There are a number of dams in its basin.

Groot Marico Groot Marico is a hamlet in the North West Province of South Africa. The economy relies heavily on agriculture, mining and tourism. Groot Marico is named after the Marico River. Description The topography comprises dry bushveld with a climate that ...

town is named after the Marico River. After it is joined on its right bank by the Crocodile River it is known as the

Limpopo River The Limpopo River rises in South Africa and flows generally eastward through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a group of Tsonga settlers led by Hosi Rivombo who settled in the mountain ...

Course

The river starts off as the Groot Marico River in the Marico Oog ( Eye of Marico in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

), near

Rustenburg Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa (549,575 in 2011 and 626,522 in the 2016 census). In 20 ...

and

Swartruggens Swartruggens is a small farming town in North West Province (South Africa), North West Province, South Africa that was established in 1875. Location The town is located by the Elands River (North West), Elands River, 69 km from the town of ...

in the

North West Province North West is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Mahikeng. The province is located to the west of the major population centre of Gauteng and south of Botswana. History North West was incorporated after the end of Apartheid in 1994, an ...

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 ...

. The source of the river is a large

dolomitic Dolomite () is an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, ideally The term is also used for a sedimentary carbonate rock composed mostly of the mineral dolomite. An alternative name sometimes used for the dolomiti ...

hole in the ground with clear water, which is also a spectacular

scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for " Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chr ...

spot. It flows northwards as the Great Marico (Groot Marico) and further downstream the smaller Klein Marico River joins forces. For a stretch it is named Madikwene River, but after the Sehubyane River (Sandsloot) joins its left bank, it reverts to the name Marico. It continues flowing northwards, bending northeastwards and forming the border between

and

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalaha ...

. Further downstream the Crocodile River joins the Marico River from the right and the name of the stream after the confluence becomes the

. About 5 km short of the confluence the

Notwane River The Notwane River (or Ngotwane River) is a river in southeastern Botswana. Certain sections of its course form the international boundary with South Africa. Its mouth is at the head of the Limpopo River. It has a catchment area of 18,053 square k ...

joins the Limpopo from the southwest.

Dams in the river basin

The Marico River is part of the Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area. Dams in the river basin are: * Molatedi Dam * Kromellenboog Dam * Marico-Bosveld Dam * Uitkyk Dam * Klein-Maricopoort Dam * Sehujwane Dam * Madikwe Dam

References

{{reflist

External links

Overview of the Crocodile (West)/Marico Water Management AreaMadikwe Game ReserveMadikwe River Lodge
Rivers of Botswana International rivers of Africa Tributaries of the Limpopo River Botswana–South Africa border Rivers of North West (South African province) Rivers of Limpopo

Course

Dams in the river basin

See also

References

External links