2000 Kruger Flooding - Luvuvhu River EarthCache
2000 Kruger Flooding - Luvuvhu River
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This 2-part EarthCache is found at the Pufari Picnic Area in the far northern part of Kruger National Park. This picnic area is located on the south side of the Luvuvhu River, in the Riverine Forest habitat type. The large tall Ana trees here are possible due to the relatively frequent moderate flooding of the Luvuvhu River, which deposits alluvial soils onto the flood plains. The soils are sandy and well drained, though the constant renewal leads to deeper, more nutrient-enriched soils which are favorable to the development of these forests.
The Pufari Picnic Area has braai sites and toilet facilities. Firewood and drinks are available for purchase. Common animals seen in this area include kudu, impala, nyala, vervet monkeys, elephants (which affect the habitat by pulling up the trees in the forest), and crocodiles in the river. Bird life is particularly abundant. There is a very nice informational display here about the nearby Thulamela archaeological site.
S 22 25.388 E 031 14.873
The given coordinates will lead you to signage describing the height of the floods which occurred in this area in February 2000. During early and mid-February of that year, there were heavy rain falls which filled up the river channels and catchment basins, and caused the soils to become saturated in the upland areas. This was followed by Cyclone Eileen, the edge of which hit the northern part of Kruger National Park on February 24. Roads and bridges were swept away by the renewed torrential rains, and hundreds of tourists were stranded and had to be rescued. The force of the water scoured away soil, rocks, and trees, and left the sandstone bedrock bare in many places. Though moderate flooding occurs fairly regularly, severe flooding of this type is thought to occur only a couple times per century.
S 22 25.362 E 031 14.862
A short walk will lead you to the cut-bank overlooking the Luvuvhu River. While the river channel is usually dry, or runs in just a narrow, shallow flow, this bank was formed by the scouring action of flash floods resulting from severe rain events. The distinctive look of this bank is caused by the way the bank is cut during these events. The banks of both sides of the river channel are cut through the softer sediments, and there are sand-covered and gravel-covered flat bottoms and steep walls. Gravels move along the bottom of the channel during a flash flood, undercutting the soft sediments along the banks and causing them to fall into the moving stream. The final result is that the river channel maintains the flat bottom and grows wider while the banks remain steep.
To log this Earthcache, send me an email with the answers to the following questions:
1.) Estimate the height the flood waters reached above ground level at the first set of coordinates. Additionally, estimate the height of the flood waters above the level of the river bottom at this location.
2.) Estimate the height of the cut-bank at the second set of coordinates.
Please consider posting photos of yourself, or the local geology, when you log this EarthCache. Photos can be an additional rewarding part of your journey, but posting them is not a requirement for logging this EarthCache, and is strictly optional.
The above information was compiled from the following sources:
2001. Heritage, G.L., et al. The February 2000 Floods on the Sabie River, South Africa: An Examination of Their Magnitude and Frequency. Koedoe, Vol. 44, No. 1 (2001).
2005. Pickett, T.A., and M.L. Cadenasso. Vegetation Dynamics. In: Vegetation Ecology, E. van der Maarel ed. Blackwell Publishing.
2007. Hilton-Barber, B. and L.R. Berger. The Prime Origins Guide to Exploring Kruger, 2nd Edition.
2008. South African National Parks Visitors Guide: Kruger National Park.
Kruger National Code of Conduct. Found online at: (visit link)
Thanks to the SANParks, and Kruger National Park, for allowing placement of this EarthCache!
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