Molopo River
title: "Molopo River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-botswana", "international-rivers-of-africa", "tributaries-of-the-orange-river", "botswana–south-africa-border", "rivers-of-the-northern-cape", "rivers-of-north-west-(south-african-province)"] topic_path: "geography/south-africa" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molopo_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Molopo River |
| name_etymology | |
| mapframe | yes |
| mapframe-zoom | 5 |
| mapframe-point | none |
| pushpin_map | South Africa |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of the Molopo River's mouth |
| subdivision_type1 | |
| subdivision_name1 | Botswana and South Africa |
| subdivision_type3 | Province |
| subdivision_name3 | North West Province and Northern Cape |
| subdivision_name5 | |
| length | 970 km |
| discharge1_max | |
| source1 | Molopo Oog |
| source1_location | D1337, Ottoshoop, Mahikeng Local Municipality, 2866, North West Province, South Africa |
| source1_coordinates | |
| mouth | Orange River |
| mouth_location | Near Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape Province |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| mouth_elevation | 480 m |
| basin_size | 367201 km2 |
| :: |
| name = Molopo River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = | image_size = | image_caption = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 5 | mapframe-point = none | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = South Africa | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption = Location of the Molopo River's mouth | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Botswana and South Africa | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Province | subdivision_name3 = North West Province and Northern Cape | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = 970 km | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = Molopo Oog | source1_location = D1337, Ottoshoop, Mahikeng Local Municipality, 2866, North West Province, South Africa | source1_coordinates = | source1_elevation = | mouth = Orange River | mouth_location = Near Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape Province | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 480 m | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 367201 km2 | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = The Molopo River () is one of the main rivers in Southern Africa. It has a length of approximately 960 kilometres and a catchment area of 367,201 km2 with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa sharing roughly about a third of the basin each.
Course
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Molopo_Basin_OSM.png" caption="Molopo Basin"] ::
Its source is in the Molopo Oog (Eye of Molopo in Afrikaans), and the river generally flows first to the west, and then to the southwest from its source. In its middle course the Molopo River forms a significant section of the border between Botswana and South Africa.
River flow is intermittent and when it flows, its water flows very slowly owing to a gradient of only 0.76 m/km. Floods are rare because the vast sandveld areas of the Kalahari Desert on the Namibian side of its basin absorb all water from the seasonal rains. In case of exceptionally heavy and continuous precipitation the flow discharges into the Orange River, which it meets downstream of Augrabies Falls National Park at . It is believed that this last occurred more than 100 years ago.
Tributary
The main tributary of the Molopo is the Nossob, whose confluence is some 50 km south of Twee Rivieren, at 890 m above sea level. Other tributaries are:
Dams
The upper Molopo is part of the Crocodile (West) and Marico Water Management Area and the lower is included in the Lower Vaal Water Management Area. Major dams in the river are the Setumo Dam and the Disaneng Dam, both located near the city of Mafikeng, South Africa, which lies on the banks of the river.
References
References
- "Review of the Molopo-Nossob Basin for Rural Communities including Assessment of National Databases at the Sub-basin Level for Possible Future Integration".
- [http://myfundi.co.za/e/Key_rivers_of_South_Africa Key rivers of South Africa] {{webarchive. link. (2012-07-10)
- [http://www.ewisa.co.za/misc/RiverNCMolopo/defaulttrib.htm Molopo Tributaries] {{webarchive. link. (2013-11-02)
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