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The Bree estuary
(34°24' S;
20°51' E)
lies west of the coastal town of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, near Cape Infanta. The river is approximately 337 km long with a catchment area of 12 384 sq. km. Agriculture comprised 34% of the catchment land-cover in the catchment. Most of this was temporary commercial dryland agriculture, permanent commercial irrigated agriculture, commercial forestry, and temporary commercial irrigated agriculture. About 1% of the catchment was degraded shrubland while approximately 64% was natural, comprising mainly shrubland, bushland, grassland and waterbodies. Major impoundments in the catchment include the Tweewaterskloof Dam and the Brandvlei Dam. Urban development accounted for less than 1% of the catchment land-cover. Most of this was residential, industrial and commercial development. Major towns in the catchment include Swellendam in the middle to lower catchment, Montagu and Robertson in the middle catchment and Worcester in the upper catchment.
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