Levubu River
The Luvuvhu at the level of Lanner Gorge, near the confluence with the Limpopo at Pafuri
Template: Infobox River / Obsolete
The Luvuvhu River (name originates from the Bantu language Tshivenda; engl Levubu River, Tsonga: Revubye. ) Is a river which flows through the northern Limpopo province of South Africa. It is part of Luvubu and Letaba Water Management Area. The Luvuvhu covers - starting from Soutpansgebirge - over approximately 200 km through different landscapes before in the area of Fever Tree Forest it (derived from the trees of the yellow bark acacia) near the northernmost lobe of the Kruger National Park on Crooks ' Corner, at Pafuri ( Makuleke Concession ), flows into the Limpopo. The confluence is located in the tri-border region of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The name is said to be due in the Bantu - speaking part of the Venda to the word muvuvhu tantamount to hippo. Perhaps the term is rooted in the word etymologically but Mvuvhu ( Combretum kraussii ), a stately tree, which is common in East Africa.
Climate
The catchment area of Luvuvhu covers an area of 4826 km ². The average annual temperatures are between about 18 ° C in the mountainous regions and over 28 ° C in the northern and eastern parts of the area. Precipitation in Luvuvhu catchment are highly seasonal and occur mainly in the summer months (October to March ), with peaks in January and February can be achieved. The average annual rainfall varies from less than 450 mm in the low-lying plains and more than 2300 mm in Entambeini the Soutpansberg.
Topography / Geology
The topography of the catchment area of the Luvuvhu is uneven. In the north- east, high mountains and low-lying plains alternate. The trains of the striking Soutpansberges fall to the west in the broad plains of the Lowveld. As the highest peak and the steepest slopes of these mountains are located in the upper part of the Luvuvhu catchment area, this means high rainfall in the region. The natural flow of the river Luvhuvu brings about 121 million m³ / year to the valley. Groundwater resources are available in different quantities. In the central catchment area they are largest and therefore the most dense population is to be found here.
The geology of the region is diverse. It consists of sedimentary rocks in the north and metamorphic and igneous rocks in the south. High-quality coal deposits are found near Tshikondeni as well as in the northern part of the Kruger National Park.
Tributaries / dams
Tributaries of the Luvuvhu are the Barotta, the Latonyanda, the Madsaringwe, the Mambedi, the Mbodi, the Mutshindudi, the Mutale and the Ngwedi.
Some of the rivers are dammed by Absperrbauwerken. So is the built in Luvhuvu 1952 Albasini Dam, which serves the local watering. It has a maximum capacity of 25.6 million m³. With 163 million m³ of Nandoni dam waiting for. The accumulated water of Damani Dam ( 12.4 million m³) served the irrigation of a coffee plantation and is now rezoned ( regional water supply ). The Mambedi Dam (7 million cubic meters ) is in the same tributary of Luvuvhu and serves private use purposes of a South African tea producers. In Barotta is the Tshakhuma - dam ( 2.1 million m³), which was built in 1990 and Mutshindudi the Vono Dam ( 30.4 million m³).
Fauna / Flora
The eastern part of Luvuvhu catchment area is within the Kruger National Park. Characteristically, here is the habitat of birds such as the Grey Lärmvogel, the hornbills, the flycatchers, shrikes and Rollers. At vegetation of African baobab tree is frequent. Under irrigation conditions millet and sorghum, millets are grown.