When Augrabies roars...
The Khoi word Aukoerebis means "a place of great noise". And in February 2010 - the mighty Orange river really turned up the volume.
It’s difficult to predict when the Augrabies Falls, near Upington in the Northern Cape, will be in full spate. But when we heard the Vaal Dam was overflowing after good rains, we hoped the falls would be worth a visit. And we were right...
Augrabies: The high and low
How big was the flood in 2010? The water flow at the Augrabies falls reached a peak of 2 948 cubic metres per second on 9 February.
How does it compare with previous years? In the great flood of 1988, a flow of 7 800 cubic metres per second was measured. But 2010 was the greatest flow since 1988.
When is the best time to visit? Generally, between October and January. Only once in the past 17 years has the waterfall almost dried up, according to Hendrik Henning, senior water control official for the Kakamas branch of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
Why are the falls so unpredictable? The size depends on how much water the Vaal Dam, the Bloemhof, Gariep and Van der Kloof dams release.
Augrabies 101
The Falls are located in the Augrabies Falls National Park. Click HERE for directions
Cost: Conservation fee is R22 per person per day (free with a Wild Card). Camping is R145 for 2, R48 per extra adult and R24 per extra child.
Contact: 054 452 9200 (Prices accurate in April 2010).
Video: To get an idea of what it looked like with go! magazine's visit, watch the short video clip below.
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