Swartlintjies (CW4)

Abstract

The estuary falls within a strict security area of the Koingnaas mining concession of De Beers Consolidated Diamond Mines. Due to the active mining operations in the immediate vicinity of the estuary, security clearance is required. The Swartlintjies is approximately 30 km long from the mouth up to where it splits into a number of unnamed tributaries. The lower part of the Estuary consists of a flat, wide sandy riverbed which indicates that substantial flooding and concomitant silt deposition takes place at times. According to a memorandum from Agricultural Technical Services, the river and other West coast rivers are "young" rivers which are fast flowing when in flood and as the flow seldom reaches the sea the silt load is sited along the upper reaches of these rivers.