The images and comments for this page are supplied by Dr Alan Whitfield , Prof Guy Bate , Mr Brian Colloty and Mr Ricky Taylor, unless indicated otherwise. The numbering system for individual estuaries follows that used by Heydorn (1986) and Whitfield (1995). Click on any image to see the full picture. To send an image of a South African Estuary please Email to Webmaster. Photos of the estuaries which are still not in the photohouse are particularly welcome.
 
 
 

Western Cape estuaries
 

Orange River Mouth (CW1)

 

Olifants River Estuary in the Western Cape (CW10)

 

Groen River Estuary area showing sand drift

 

Permanently open Steenbras Estuary (CSW9)

 

Buffalo River Estuary in the Western Cape (CSW11)

 

Permanently open Palmiet Estuary (CSW12)

 

Bot Estuarine Lake in the Western Cape (CSW13)

 

Klein Estuary (estuarine lake) in the Western Cape (CSW16)

 

Permanently open Heuningnes Estuary (CSW19)

 

Permanently open Bree Estuary  (CSW22)

 

Permanently open Gouritz Estuary (CSW25)

 

Temporarily closed Klein Brak estuary (CMS2)

 

The Swartvlei system in the Southern Cape at closed and open mouth conditions (CMS11)

Temporarily closed Goukamma Estuary (CMS12)

The mouth of the Knysna Bay Estuary in the Southern Cape is 230 m wide with an average channel depth of approximately 10 m. The first  picture shows the flood tide entering the bay of the estuary (CMS13)

Permanently open Keurbooms Estuary (CMS19)

The Groot River mouth (CMS37)

The Tsitsikamma River Estuary in the Huisklip Nature Reserve (CMS42)

Permanently open Kromme Estuary (CMS45)

Temporarily closed  Kabeljous  Estuary (CMS47)

Temporarily closed  van Stadens  Estuary (CMS49)

Temporarily closed  Maitland Estuary (CMS50)

Eastern Cape estuaries
 

The Swartkops Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE3)

Aerial views of the permanently open Sundays River Estuary in the Eastern Cape, showing the extensive flood tidal delta inside  the mouth (CSE5)

The temporarily closed Boknes Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE6)

The permanently open Bushmans Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE7)

Aerial views of the permanently open Kariega  River  Estuary at Kenton-on-Sea in the Eastern Cape. The right picture shows the upper part of the estuary (CSE8).

The temporarily closed Kasuka Estuary in the Eastern Cape with vegetated dunes on  either side of the sandy mouth (CSE9)

The Kowie River Estuary in the Eastern Cape with Port Alfred marina (CSE10)

The temporarily closed West and East Kleinemonde Estuaries in the Eastern Cape (CSE13 and CSE14)

The West and East Kleinemonde Estuaries in the Eastern Cape in an open state (CSE13 and CSE14) Picture courtesy of Duncan McIntosh

Aerial views of the permanently open Fish River Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE15). The system has changed due to interbasin water transfer.

Mtati Estuary in the Eastern Cape. Estuaries in this area are predominantly pristine with little or no impact (CSE18)

Mgwalana Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE19). Similar structure is found in Bira, Mtati, Mtana, Kiwane and Gqutywa estuaries all having the same physical condition, size and flora present.

Bira Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE20)

Keiskamma Estuary in the Eastern Cape (CSE26) -the only permanently open system and  the main source of water for this region.  The upper catchement has been damaged through improper farming practices and causes heavy silt loads.  The average estuary depth has dropped by between 0.2 and 0.5 m in the past 4 years due to silt depostion in the mouth.  This system does however carry the highest botanical diversity and importance of this region.

Aerial view of the Qolora Estuary in the North Eastern Cape north of the Kei River mouth.  The estuary is dominated by brackish salinity and due to the barrier being perched requires periods of high rainfall to breach (TS3)

Aerial view of the Jujura Estuary in the North Eastern Cape. The estuary is unique in terms of of its depth (1.8 m) and mouth structure (TS15).

Aerial view of the Xora Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS33).A mangrove dominated system that is being protected by efforts of the local community.

Aerial view of the Bulungulu Estuary in the North Eastern Cape north of the Dwesa Nature Reserve. The estuary has lost its entire mangrove community  due to a prolonged drought event (TS34)

Aerial view of the Ku-Amanzimuzana Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS35). Translated means "black water" due to the high tannin content of the water that flows into this estuary.

Aerial views of the Mpako Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS40).Similar to the Mapuzi estuary below (TS44), but the headland formation has weathered and become the famous Hole-in-the-Wall attraction.

Aerial view of the Mapuzi Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS44). A moderate system found north of Coffee Bay is has this unique headland formation around its mouth.  Compared to other systems of its size it should be temporarily open/closed, but is kept open by these formations

Aerial view of the Lwandile Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS48). Lwandile and Lwandilana are mirror estuaries but as the suffix "-lana" implies, Llwandilana is smaller. The Lwandile lost its prawn population due to flooding that occurred in April 1998.

Aerial view of the Hluleka Estuary in the North Eastern Cape (TS50). Forms part of the Hluleka Nature Reserve

Aerial views of the Mnenu Estuary within Dwesa  Nature Reserve. Typical of the brackish reed and sedge dominated estuaries found in this region (TS51)

Aerial view of the uMngazana River near the coast in the North Eastern Cape. The Umngazana estuary is 20 km south of Port St John's and has the largest and most developed mangrove community along the (former Transkej) coast (ca 145 a). (TS56)

Aerial view of the Mzimvubu River Estuary at Port St Johns (TS63). Mzimvubu is the largest river in the North Eastern Cape. The estuary is a river dominated system with high sediment loads during flood conditions.

The Mzikaba Estuary in the Eastern Cape (TN27)

Quko river estuary situated at the confluence of the Quko and Mqotwane rivers, at 32 o 43 ' S and 28 o 19' E ~ 55 km north east from East London, and ~ 10 km south west of the mouth of the Great Kei river. Picture supplied by Leon Kemp

KwaZulu-Natal estuaries
 
 

Temporarily closed Mtamvuna Estuary (NS1)

 

The Mpenjati Estuary (NS7). A typical Natal South Coast temporary open/closed estuary. The estuary is within a protected area and links to the Trafalgar Marine Reserve. One of the few places where the land, an estuary and the adjacent marine environment are all conserved.

 

The Zotsha Estuary (NS17). One of the best, naturally functioning, small estuaries  in KwaZulu-Natal. The location of the mouth is controlled by the position of the rocks in the surf zone. Many of the small KZN estuaries such as this face the persistent problem of developers wanting to build in the floodplain. These developments may result in the need to artificially breach the mouth whenever ifrastructure is threatened by backing-up estuary waters.

 

The Manzimtoti (Amanzimtoti) estuary (NZ49) in an urban setting. This is a highly manipulated estuary.

The uMhlanga Estuary in KwaZulu-Natal at open (left) and closed (center, right) mouth conditions (NN2). The estuary has to be breached  when rising water levels threaten to flood buildings sited on the floodplain or when pollutants accumulate to excessively high levels

The Mdloti Estuary on KwaZulu-Natal north coast (NN3)

The Tongati Estuary on KwaZulu-Natal north coast (NN4)

The Mvoti Estuary on KwaZulu-Natal north coast (NN7)

The Zinkwazi Estuary on KwaZulu-Natal north coast (NN10)

The Tugela River mouth (NN11). Tugela is the largest River in KwaZulu-Natal. During low flows a sand berm is formed from the south by the predominantly northward movement of the long-shore drift . Of note is the wave pattern in the sea which indicates a significant ebb-tidal delta.

The Matigulu-Nyoni system. (NN12/13). Left slide - the Inyoni part of the estuary (also - left - on the right slide). At times the Inyoni and the Matigulu (Amatikulu) separate to form two separate estuaries.

The Mlalazi (uMlalazi) Estuary (NN15) near Mtunzini

Richard's Bay (NN16)

The St Lucia estuarine lake mouth in the foreground with the Umfolozi mouth (NN18) beyond. Formely the two mouths would merge to form one. The KZN Nature Conservation Service actively manages to prevent this as the Umfolozi River now carries unacceptably high sediment loads which would choke St Lucia.

The mouth of the St Lucia estuarine lake (NN19). Depending on seasons and flows, the mouth tends to move north or south. This movement is contained by the vegetation on either side. Periodic dredging is needed to remove sediments which enter from the sea.

The Mgobezeleni Estuary (NN20) at Sodwana Bay. The estury has a high conservation value as it is the only estuary between St Lucia and Kosi Bay - a distance of more than 160 km. In addition it is one of the few sediment free estuaries in KwaZulu-Natal.

Kosi Estuarine Lake (NN21). The rock reef in the surf zone which controls the position of the mouth can be clearly seen. Also of note is the flood-tidal delta. On the right picture, the lake itself is in the background.