Flooded Umzimkulu river has Drak Challenge paddlers wary
Underberg -
The storms that have lashed KwaZulu-Natal this week will have a significant
impact on the Drakensberg Challenge Canoe Marathon in Underberg in 21 and 22
February as paddlers prepare to tackle what promises to be a very full and
feisty Umzimkulu River.
Consistent heavy rainfall in the Southern Drakensberg this week pushed
the water level in the Umzimkulu to flood level and with more rain
forecast for the region ahead of the race next weekend the participants will
be more likely to confront large waves and stoppers than the problems
associated with a low river.
After a deluge in the region on Wednesday the river rose dramatically,
submerging a number of bridges over the Umzimkulu river, dislodging scores
of trees and cluttering bridge pillars with dangerous debris.
The
water level in the Umzimkulu River for the race is entirely dependant on
rainfall in the Garden Castle catchment area and a strategically placed
thunderstorm can cause the water level to rise very quickly. However the
water level can drop just as quickly after a few rain-free days.
“Last
year the river was in spate on the Tuesday of the race,” said race committee
chairperson Tex Turton. “But then there was no further rainfall and the river
emptied very quickly! We started that race on a medium to low river.”
Turton
also confirmed that the paddlers would benefit from an extensive clearing-up
operation on the river to rid it of dangerous trees and in particular alien
invaders, as well as debris swept downriver by the flood on Wednesday night.
“A
number of paddlers have done a terrific job in clearing away wattle growth
within the river banks and the Canon Kayak Club has also done a thorough
tree clean-up over the course of the race,” said Turton.
“It’s
also a pleasure to confirm that the river is exceptionally clean
particularly after a summer season in which paddlers have been worried about
pollution in other rivers,” said Turton.
Regular testing has shown the Umzimkulu river water to be extremely clean in some
cases rating higher in purity than some bottled water. “It’s one of the real
attractions to this race that paddlers can drink the water anywhere on the
race route to the point that some paddlers don’t even pack juice bottles for
the race but drink the water out of the river,” said Turton.
Turton
also confirmed that testing on the river had shown no sign of any disease
any concerns about Cholera where completely unfounded.
The
race starts at Castleburn Bridge on Saturday 21 February on the first
paddleable stretch of the Umzimkulu River as it emerges from the Southern
Drakensberg Mountains. The first ten kilometres of the race runs through the
infamous Valley of a Thousand Rapids which in the inaugural race in 1994
claimed 75% of the field in merciless flood conditions.
The
race committee has a clause written into the race rules allowing them to
move the start of the race to the Trout Hatcheries below the Valley of a
Thousand Rapids in the event of extremely high or low water level
conditions.
The Drakensberg Challenge takes place in Underberg on Saturday 21 and Sunday
22 February. More information can be found at
www.drak.co.za
ENDS
