A river interrupted

What kind of stories do rivers tell? These living water systems are always changing, but they carry the marks of history on their banks. On 27 March I had the chance to follow the Diep River from close to its source, to where it opens into the Little Princess Vlei. This trip was organised by various partners involved in the Source to Sea project, which is exploring integrated and proactive ways to manage river corridors, and is looking at  creating a trail along the Diep River as part of this project.
   Once, this water system was connected to Princess Vlei and the othervleis in the area through an extensive network of seasonal watercourses and wetlands, but as the map below shows, these water flows have been interrupted by human activity. Humans have had much impact on the course of this river, as my journey revealed.
   The Diep River forms a thin, unbroken blue line on this map, but following it is not as straightforward as it looks here.

The river

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1  The river originates on the mountain and runs through Cecilia Forest in a beautiful stream

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2 It flows through  the Constantia Green Belt, alongside the Alphen trail. We joined it opposite the Alphen Hotel, which has been owned by the Cloete family for generations. Alex and Nicky Cloete-Hopkins told us how the river used to drive a water wheel at a small mill, which can be seen here. Successive flooding led to them creating stone gabions  to hold the river banks.

3 It offers a restful refuge to passers by, before going under the 4 lane M3 high way.

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4 Although it is only a few kilometers from its source there is evidence of pollution, as it meanders through lower Constantia behind Norman Henshilwood School.

6 Water is taken from the river to irrigate the school fields

5 This black elder tree is one of many invasive alien species that have taken root by the river.

7 Clearing litter is a constant problem, but can also provide employment as it does for these workers for the EPWP.

8 The winter rains and storm water off the streets create floods which erode the river banks and wash away infrastructure, like this wall.

10 The residents with houses also create problems. Garden waste dumped in or next to the river clogs up litter and silt traps

12 Our city is full of boundaries, but a river knows no fences ...

14 It goes through some private gardens ...

16 Here it joins the Wynberg River, and is crossed by the oldest bridge on Main Rd. It wearily carries much of the waste tossed into street gutters and storm drains.

18  Soon the river has to duck under a railway line

20  The river disappears from view under the factories in the Diep River industrial area - the only sign of it is in the name of this building. 

22 The high Spanish reeds are aliens, but they can be harvested for ceilings and garden fences.
 

9 Everyone wants a home by the river ... but these informal residents can create pollution and litter problems.

11 The gardens of the wealthy also bring in many exotic aliens, which disrupt the river flow and indigenous flora

13 We find our river friend again wandering besides this children's play structure ...

15 And comes out again, no longer meandering through the earth but held by the concrete walls of a canal

17 Here, the two joined rivers are split - the original canal proved inadequate for winter floods, so instead of widening it they build another alongside it.

19  One of the many storm water drains challenging the river's ecosystem.

21  The river seems to sigh with relief as at last it leaves behind its concrete walls, and the two streams are reunited.

23 The river is chocked with other aliens, but biological control agents with species such as water hyacinth and Parrots Feather, are making a difference. Despite the pollution and alien infestation, the river still provides a home to bird species such as this Red-knobbed Coot

24 At last we reach the shores of the Little Princess - the waters will move through here, and then onto Zandvlei. The Little Princess Vlei's  big sister lies a few hundred meters away, separated by sand dunes. Perhaps one day, these two sisters will be united again, and the water system will be restored to make a beautiful trail from Source to Sea.