| Kraai River | |
|---|---|
 The river near Barkly East | |
  | |
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Moshesh's Ford |
| • coordinates | 30°51′9″S 27°46′40″E / 30.85250°S 27.77778°E |
| • elevation | 1,845 m (6,053 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Aliwal North, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
• coordinates | 30°40′2″S 26°45′6″E / 30.66722°S 26.75167°E |
• elevation | 1,340 m (4,400 ft) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Orange River |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Karnmelkspruit |
| • right | Bell River |
The Kraai River (literally "Crow River") is a tributary of the Orange River (also called Gariep River by locals) that flows near Barkly East in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
The Kraai River originates in the mountains south of Lesotho and flows westward from the confluence of the Bell River and the Sterk Spruit at Moshesh's Ford at 30°51′09″S 27°46′40″E / 30.852558°S 27.7777527°E all the way to Aliwal North, where it joins the Orange River at 30°40′02″S 26°45′06″E / 30.66715°S 26.75177°E.[1]
The river flows almost entirely over sandstone rocks of the Clarens Formation.
The Kraai is fishable, containing rainbow trout, brown trout and smallmouth yellowfish.[2]
In 1881[3] a sandstone[4] arch bridge called the J W Sauer bridge was completed over the river. The bridge linked communities in the Kraai River basin with Aliwal North. The Sauer bridge and the Loch Bridge on the farm Tyger Krantz, are now Provincial Heritage sites.[5][6]
- ^ Physiography of the Kraai River Catchment Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine WalkerBouts.co.za
- ^ "Fly Fishing" Archived 2015-06-18 at the Wayback Machine wildmountainadventures.co.za
- ^ "Stone Arch Bridges Of The Northeast Cape" maclear.co.za
- ^ "Exploring the Eastern Cape’s bridging legacy" farmersweekly.co.za
- ^ "J W Sauer Bridge, Kraai River, Aliwal North District" sahra.org.za
- ^ "Loch Bridge, Kraai River, Barkly East District" sahra.org.za