Editing Orange River (section)

== Economy ==
[[Image:Orange River at Aliwal North.jpg|thumb|The [[James Barry Munnik Hertzog|General Hertzog Bridge]] over the Orange River at [[Aliwal North]] on the southwestern border with the Free State: Note the remains of the [[Henry Bartle Frere|Frere]] Bridge on the left.]]

As the collection point for the majority of South Africa's water, the Orange River plays a major role in supporting agriculture, industry, and mining. To assist in this, two large water schemes have been created, the Orange River Project and the [[Lesotho Highlands Water Project]]. Historically, the river played an important role in the South African [[diamond rush]], with the first diamonds in the country being discovered in [[alluvium|alluvial]] deposits on the Orange. Today, several commercial diamond mines operate along the final stretch of the Orange River and around its mouth.

Because of the lack of dangerous animals and high water levels during summer, the river is used for recreational [[canoeing]] and [[rafting]]. Orange River rafting has become very popular with many companies using their camps along the river from which to operate. The most popular trips are four-day and six-day river trips that take place either along the gorge below the [[Augrabies Falls]] or along the [[Richtersveld]] area.

===Orange River Project ===
The Orange River Project (ORP) was one of the largest and most imaginative projects of its kind in South Africa. It was constructed by [[Hendrik Verwoerd]]'s government at the height of the apartheid era. The ORP was built to exploit the waters of the Orange River—which, without the Vaal River, represents some 14.1% of the total runoff in South Africa—and in the process, to satisfy an increasing demand for water. The main objectives of the project were:
* to stabilise river flow,
* the generation and transmission of [[hydroelectric power]],
* to provide a reliable water supply for users in the Orange River basin, and
* to give a new lease on life to water-deficient areas in the [[Eastern Cape]], such as the [[Great Fish River|Great Fish]] and [[Sundays River]] valleys.

The [[Gariep Dam]] near [[Colesberg]] is the main storage structure within the Orange River. From here, the water is supplied in two directions, westward along the Orange River (via hydroelectric power generators) to the [[Vanderkloof Dam]] and southward through the [[Orange–Fish River Tunnel|Orange-Fish Tunnel]] to the Eastern Cape.

[[Image:GariepDam.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Gariep Dam]] on the Orange River is the largest dam in South Africa, and was a key part of the Orange River Project.]]

==== Hydroelectricity ====
[[Eskom]] operates hydroelectric power stations at both the Gariep Dam and the Vanderkloof Dam. The hydroelectric power station at the Vanderkloof Dam was the first power-generation station in South Africa situated entirely underground. The towns [[Oviston]] and [[Gariep Dam (town)|Oranjekrag]] were established to facilitate the construction and operation of the new infrastructure.
[[File:Scenery photo by Siloam Village Gariep.JPG|thumb|View over the eastern part of the dam, with the water intake at Oviston]]

==== Irrigation ====
[[Image:Orange River Wine Farm.jpg|thumb|A [[Northern Cape wine|vineyard]] on the Orange River]]
[[Image:Irrigation Project along the Orange River.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Various irrigation projects along the river]]

Irrigation in the vast area downstream of the Vanderkloof Dam, which has turned thousands of hectares of arid [[veld]] into highly productive agricultural land, was made possible by the construction of the Gariep and Vanderkloof Dams. Old established irrigation schemes such as those at [[Buchuberg]], [[Upington]], [[Kakamas]], and [[Vioolsdrif]] have also benefitted because regulation of the flow is now possible. On the Namibian side of the river, [[Aussenkehr]] produces grapes with the help of water from the Orange.

In recent years, the [[South African wine|wine-producing areas]] along the Orange River have grown in importance. Irrigation in the Eastern Cape has also received a tremendous boost, not only from the additional water being made available, but also owing to improvement in water quality. Without this improvement, the citrus farmers along the Lower Sundays River would almost certainly have continued to suffer losses of productivity.

===Lesotho Highlands Water Project===
The [[Lesotho Highlands Water Project]] was conceived to supplement the water supply in the Vaal River System. Water is delivered to South Africa by means of the delivery tunnel which passes under the Lesotho South Africa border at the [[Caledon River]], and then under the Little Caledon River south of Clarens in the Free State, and discharges into the Ash River about {{convert|30|km}} further to the north. The scheme became viable when water demands in [[Gauteng]] reached levels that could no longer be supported economically by alternative schemes such as the Tugela River-Vaal River [[Pumped-storage hydroelectricity|pumped storage scheme]], which used the [[Sterkfontein Dam]], located near [[Harrismith]] in the Free State.

===Alluvial diamonds===
In 1867, the first diamond discovered in South Africa, the [[Eureka Diamond]], was found near [[Hopetown]] on the Orange River. Two years later, a much larger diamond known as the [[Star of South Africa (diamond)|Star of South Africa]] was found in the same area, causing a diamond rush. This was soon eclipsed by the diamond rush to mine diamonds directly from [[kimberlite]] at [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]] in 1871, although alluvial diamonds continued to be found in the Orange. Today, several commercial diamond mines operate on the last stretch of the river, as well as the beaches around its mouth. Diamond mines also operate on the middle stretch of the river.

[[Image:OrangeRiverRafting.jpg|thumb|Rafting on the Orange River is a popular tourist activity.]]

===Rafting and canoeing===
During the temperate months of March and April, given good rains and the [[sluice]]s of the dams being open, a canoeist (or rafter) can easily travel {{convert|30|km}} per day. The lower reaches of the river are most popular, because of the spectacular topography. Commercial tours are available, and these expeditions depart from the border town of [[Vioolsdrif]].