The Klein River Estuary
River mouth in Hermanus
Klein River Estuary forms a lagoon on the eastern side of Grotto Beach. The lagoon is shallow, warm, and safe for swimming and is also used for water sports such as windsurfing.
This estuary is an extremely sensitive environment. Extensive water abstraction upstream has caused the reserve to be negatively impacted. Also, pollution of the waterways with fertilizers and other organic materials has caused the water to become enriched. This leads to algae overgrowth, which in turn causes oxygen depletion. This causes fish and other life in the estuary to die off and leads to an unhealthy and stinking body of water.
The management of the mouth area is a contentious issue with regard to when and where the water should be extracted if at all.
