Tugela
Tugela is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- -28.74°, 30.19°
About Tugela
The Tugela River (Zulu: Thukela; Afrikaans: Tugelarivier) is the largest river in KwaZulu, South Africa. With a total length of 560 km (350 mi), and a drop of 1 370 metres in the lower 480 km, it is one of the most important rivers of the country.
The river originates in Mont-aux-Sources of two other major South African rivers, the Orange and the Caledon River. From the Drakensberg range, the Tugela follows a 560 km (350 mi) route through the KwaZulu-Natal midlands before flowing into the Indian Ocean. The total catchment area is approximately 29,100 km2 (11,200 mi2). Land uses in the catchment are mainly rural subsistence farming and commercial forestry.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Tugela River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Tugela in Depth
Ecology
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.
Tributaries
The Tugela is fed by a number of tributaries coming off the Drakensberg, the largest being the Mzinyathi ("Buffalo") River (rising near Majuba Hill). Others are 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. The Buffalo River joins the Tugela some 19 km (12 mi) east of Tugela Ferry at 28°43′04″S 30°38′41″E.
The Blood River was named by the Boers, led by Andries Pretorius, after they defeated the Zulu king Dingane on 16 December 1838. 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.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Tugela River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Tugela: Key Facts
| Length | 520 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 170 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 29,100 km² |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
| Tributaries | Buffalo River, Mooi River, Bushman's River, Bloukrans River |
Facts from Wikidata Q476317 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Tugela: Quick Answers
- Where is Tugela?
- Tugela is located in South Africa, at 28.7421° S, 30.1880° E.
- Are there dams on the Tugela?
- No dam on the Tugela is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.