Levubu River

The Levubu River or Levuvhu^[3] (Tsonga: Rivubye; Venda: Luvuvhu)^[1] is located in the northern Limpopo province of South Africa. Some of its tributaries, such as the Mutshindudi River and Mutale River rise in the Soutpansberg Mountains.

Levubu River
The Levubu River in Lanner Gorge, Pafuri
Location of the Levubu River's mouth
Etymology	Either from the Venda Muvuvhu (hippopotamus),[1] or Mvuvhu (Combretum kraussii), a species of tree growing on its banks[2]
Native name	Luvuvhu (Venda)
Location
Country	South Africa
State	Limpopo
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Soutpansberg
Mouth	Near Pafuri
• location	Limpopo River, South Africa-Mozambique border
• coordinates	22°25′32″S 31°18′25″E
• elevation	203 m (666 ft)
Length	200 km (120 mi)
Basin size	4,826 km2 (1,863 sq mi)
Basin features
River system	Limpopo River basin
Tributaries
• right	Dzindi River Mutshindudi River Mutale River

The Levubu flows for about 200 km through a diverse range of landscapes before it joins the Limpopo River in the Fever Tree Forest area, near Pafuri in the Kruger National Park.^[4]

A Zambezi shark (Carcharhinus leucas) was caught at the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers in July 1950. Zambezi sharks tolerate fresh water and can travel far up rivers like the Limpopo.^[5] The river's crocodile population extends to its upper reaches at Thohoyandou.^[6]

Dams

• Albasini Dam
• Mambedi Dam
• Tshakhuma Dam
• Damani Dam
• Nandoni Dam, previously known as the Mutoti Dam, in the middle section of the Levubu River east of the confluence with the Dzindi River tributary and east of the town Thohoyandou^[7]
• Vondo Dam in the Mutshindudi River, a tributary
• Phiphidi Dam in the Mutshindudi

See also

• Drainage basin A
• List of rivers of South Africa
• List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
• Luvubu and Letaba Water Management Area

References

1. Jenkins, Elwyn (2007), Falling into place: the story of modern South African place names, David Philip Publishers, p. 75
2. du Plessis, E.J. (1973). Suid-Afrikaanse berg- en riviername. Tafelberg-uitgewers, Cape Town. p. 265. ISBN 0-624-00273-X.
3. Olifants River now called Lepelle
4. Latava and Luvuvhu River River Systems 2001 Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, State of Rivers Report, WRC report no: TT 165/01, Water Research Commission, Pretoria, ISBN No: 1 86845 825 3
5. Pienaar, U. de V., The Freshwater Fishes of the Kruger National Park, Koedoe Vol 11, No 1 (1968)
6. Pijoos, Iavan (2 April 2020). "Limpopo fisherman 'eaten by crocodile'". South Africa. timeslive.co.za. TimesLive. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
7. Nandoni Dam - Description