Kraai River

Kraai River
The river near Barkly East
Kraai River is located in South Africa
Kraai River
Location
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMoshesh's Ford
 • coordinates30°51′9″S 27°46′40″E / 30.85250°S 27.77778°E / -30.85250; 27.77778
 • elevation1,845 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 / -30.66722; 26.75167
 • elevation
1,340 m (4,400 ft)
Basin features
River systemOrange River
Tributaries 
 • leftKarnmelkspruit
 • rightBell 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.

Loch bridge on the Kraai River

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 / -30.852558; 27.7777527 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 / -30.66715; 26.75177.[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]

A special tourist train steaming across the Kraai River bridge near Lady Grey in 1979

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]