The
falls are a series of separately
channeled cataracts and rapids
on the Orange River in arid
Northern Cape province, South
Africa. The falls, which form
the central feature of Augrabies
Falls National Park (established
in 1966), occur where the Orange
River leaves a plateau formation
of resistant granite.[2]
The 28 000 hectares
on both the northern and southern
sides of the Orange River provide
sanctuary to a diversity of
species, from the very smallest
succulents, birds and reptiles
to springbok, gemsbok and the
endangered black rhino.
The Augrabies Falls
(AWE-XRAH-BEES, where X is the sound
of the ch in 'Loch') is a waterfall
on the Orange River, South Africa,
within the Augrabies Falls National
Park. The falls are around 60m in
height. The original Khoikhoi residents
named the waterfall Ankoerebis, "place
of big noises", from which the
Trek Boers, who settled here later
on, derived the name Augrabies.
The falls have recorded
7,800 cubic metres (280,000 cu ft)
of water every second in floods in
1988 (and 6,800 cubic metres (240,000
cu ft) in the floods of 2006). This
is over three times the average high
season flow rate of Niagara Falls
of 2,400 cubic metres (85,000 cu ft)
per second, more than four times Niagara's
annual average, and greater than Niagara's
all time record of 6,800 cubic metres
(240,000 cu ft) per second.
The gorge at the Augrabies
Falls is 240 m deep and 18 km long,
and is an impressive example of granite
erosion.[3]
Augrabies Falls National Park is
a national park located around the
Augrabies Falls, about 120 km west
of Upington in the Northern Cape Province,
South Africa. It was established in
1966.
The Augrabies Falls
National Park covers an area of 820
km² and stretches along the Orange
River. The area is very arid. The
waterfall is about 60 metres high
and is awe-inspiring when the river
is in flood. The gorge below the falls
averages about 240 m deep and runs
for 18 kilometres. The gorge provides
an impressive example of erosion into
a granitic basement.
The original Hottentot
people named the waterfall Ankoerebis,
meaning the "place of big noises".
The Trekboers who later settled in
the area derived the name Augrabies.
The name is sometimes spelt Aughrabies.
An authentic pronunciation is impossible
for most English speakers.
There are many deposits
of alluvial diamonds along the Orange
River and legend has it that the biggest
cache of diamonds in the world lies
in the swirl-hole eroded into the
granite at the foot of the waterfall
by the thundering waters.
The most characteristic
plant in the park is the giant aloe
(Aloe dichotoma) known locally as
the quiver tree or kokerboom. It is
perfectly adapted to the dry semi-desert
rocky areas found in the Nama-Karoo,
able to withstand the extreme temperatures
and the infertile soil. This tree,
which grows up to five metres high,
gets its name from the fact that the
Bushmen (San) used the soft branches
to make quivers for their arrows.
The eye-catching silhouette of the
quiver tree is typical of this part
of Northern Cape landscape. When the
tree flowers in the winter flocks
of birds are attracted to their copious
nectar, and baboons can be seen tearing
the flowers apart to get the sweet
liquor. [4]
