Berg River
The first Europeans to see the Berg River were on an expedition with bailiff Abraham Gabbema in 1657, having been sent by Jan Van Riebeek to trade with the local Khoi Khoi. He called it the Groot Berg River. The catchment was only developed during the time of Governor Simon van der Stel who established the first European settlements at Paarl and in the Drakenstein Valley in 1687. Wellington, Franschhoek and Tulbagh were established later as the farmlands expanded. The river rises in the Drakenstein and the Franschhoek mountains.
The Berg River was one of many habitats for Hippos. However, in the 1600s, hunters killed them for meat and hide. By the mid-1700s, Governor RykTulbagh introduced a fine for killing a hippo. Despite this, the numbers continued to decline. In 1829, only six Hippos were remaining. The last Hippo was shot in 1869 by Martin Melck when it attacked and killed one of his employees.
During summer, water temperatures reach 30°C/86°F, while in the winter, they are at a lower 20°C/68°F. The river is popular with watersport enthusiasts. Waterskiing and canoeing are just two of these sports.
Berg River Estuary
The Berg River Estuary at the lower stretch of the River is one of four perennial estuaries on the west coast it is the third-largest salt marsh on the Cape Coast. The unique vegetation includes species such as waterblommetjie (Aponogeton distachyos), soutbos (Bassia diffusa), sareegras (Bolboschoenus maritimus), Fish found here include white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) and white stumpnose (Rhabdosargus globiceps) the Berg River Estuary starts 69 km upstream of the river mouth in Velddrif The estuary and floodplain extend 40 km inland, incorporating many habitats such as mudflats, reedbeds, sandy beaches, Strandveld, and Riverine channels. Bird spotting is particularly good in the mudflats and saltpans.
Berg River Marathon
Annually in the first week of of July, The Berg River Canoe Marathon covers 240km from Paarl to the small harbour of Velddrif over four stages info@berg.org.za
Berg river Canooze
This 2 day, 24km trail is a relaxing river kayak along the Berg River suitable for the entire family. River kayaking opens up a whole world of exploration, and it’s an exciting way to enjoy the scenic beauty and incredible birdlife of the West Coast.
The Berg River Dam
The Berg River Dam or Autshumato Dam is an embankment dam which was inaugurated in 2009 on the Berg River, The wall is 223 ft high and 929 metres long with a total surface area of 4.88 square kilometres. It has a total capacity of 130,000 megalitres (130 hm3) The dam is the centre of the Berg Water Project. It captures the winter rainfall to store for the use of Capetonians during the dry summer months. The project is a very important part of the Western Cape Water Supply System. This supplies water to over 3 million people. The dam was the first in South Africa to be operated with the guidelines of the World Commission on Dams. It was completed on time and within budget. Planning began in 1989. It was subjected to a rigorous public participation process and debate. Construction began in July 2004. The dam started storing water in July 2007.
