Umgeni River

Coordinates: 29°48′36″S 31°02′08″E / 29.81°S 31.03556°E / -29.81; 31.03556

Umgeni river
uMngeni (Zulu)
River
The Umgeni River, just below Howick Falls, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, taken during the dry season.
Country	South Africa
Region	KwaZulu-Natal
Tributaries
- left	Msunduzi River
Source	Drakensberg
- elevation	1,825 m (5,988 ft)
Mouth	Indian Ocean
- location	Durban, South Africa
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	29°48′36″S 31°02′08″E / 29.81°S 31.03556°E / -29.81; 31.03556

The Umgeni River, occasionally the Mgeni River (Zulu: Mngeni), is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It rises in the "Dargle" in the KZN midlands, and its mouth is at Durban, some distance north of Durban's natural harbour. The name is meant to mean place of the Acacia trees in Zulu, though other meanings have been proposed.^[1][2]

The river is approximately 232 km long with a catchment area of 4,432 km². There are 4 large dams on the Umgeni, they are the Midmar Dam, Albert Falls Dam, Nagle Dam and Inanda Dam.

It is assumed that Vasco da Gama replenished his fleet's water supply at the Umgeni mouth on Christmas Day, 1497, and so named the region Natal, Portuguese for Christmas. The river then acquired the name "River of Natal".

130 years later the Umgeni was crossed by Nathaniel Isaacs on his way to visit Shaka.^[1]

Msunduzi tributary

A noteworthy tributary is the Msunduzi River, which joins it between Nagle and Inanda dams. Higher up its course the Msunduzi (or 'Dusi' for short) passes through the KwaZulu-Natal capital Pietermaritzburg. A famous downriver race, the Dusi Canoe Marathon takes place between the capital and Durban, attracting thousands of canoeists for the three-day event held in January every year.

See also

• List of rivers of South Africa
• List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa

Dams on the Mngeni

• Albert Falls Dam
• Inanda Dam
• Midmar Dam
• Nagle Dam

Waterfalls on the Mngeni

• Howick Falls

References

• Peters, Janice (1973). Proceedings of the first International Conference on Ephomeroptera. Brill Archive. pp. 90. ISBN 9789004035904. 

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} du Plessis, E.J. (1973). Suid-Afrikaanse berg- en riviername. Tafelberg-uitgewers, Cape Town. pp. 277, 278. ISBN 0-624-00273X. 
2. ^ Raper, P.E. (2004). South African Place Names. Jonathan Ball, Jhb & Cape Town. p. 245. ISBN 1-86842-190-2.