Riet River

This article is about the tributary of the Vaal River. For the river of the Olifants/Doring basin, see Riet River (Doring).

The Riet River is a westward-flowing tributary of the Vaal River in central South Africa. In precolonial times the Riet was known as the Gama-!ab (or Gmaap), a !Kora name meaning 'muddy'. Its main tributary is the Modder River and after the confluence the Riet River flows westwards to meet the Vaal.^[1]

Riet Gmaap
Aerial view of the river in 2018.
Location of the Riet River mouth
Etymology	Native name Gama-!ab meaning 'muddy' in !Kora language
Native name	Gama-!ab (Korana)
Location
Country	South Africa
Region	Free State, Northern Cape
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Near Smithfield
Mouth	Vaal River
• location	Confluence
• coordinates	28°59′58″S 23°53′17″E
• elevation	1,001 m (3,284 ft)
Length	300 km (190 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	Modder River

The Riet flows about 300 km from the vicinity of the eastern Free State town of Smithfield and has a confluence with the Vaal River upstream from the Northern Cape town of Douglas.^[2] It flows through the Kalkfontein Dam. Water from the Orange River at Vanderkloof Dam is fed into the Riet River at Jacobsdal to provide water for irrigation. This has the combined effect of adding water to the river and lowering the salinity. When Vanderkloof Dam is spilling excess water from Vanderkloof Dam is transferred to the Kalkfontein Dam.

The Riet River on a map of 1887. The lower Modder has since become the lower Riet.

See also

• List of rivers in South Africa
• Siege of Kimberley
• Battle of Paardeberg