The Breede River is not a large river by world standards but is the largest in South Africa’s Western Province.
Examination of river flows over the few decades in the Breede River basin shows that changes in land use, creation of impoundments, and increasing abstraction have primarily been responsible for changes in the observed flows. However, one site examined has a relatively pristine watershed, and its flow has increased significantly. The only hypothesis to explain this increase is the beneficial impact of temperature change.
(Extract from Water SA vol.36 n.3 Pretoria Apr. 2010)
The term cumec
a cubic metre per second, as a unit of rate of flow of water:
“minimum flows proposed would vary seasonally between x cumecs in winter and x cumecs in summer”
Flood data at its peak during recorded floods, as observed from the Lower Breede River @ Swellendam
2008 November
Flow peaked at 1985cumec and water level just over 7m.
2021
Flow peaked at 740cumec.
2023 June
Flow peaked at 1350cumec and water level at 5.3m.
2023 September
Flow peaked at 1787cumec and water level at 6.5m.
2024 July
Flow peaked at 1688cu,ec and water level at 6.2m.