From there it flows westwards through the town of Okahandja, the historic mission station at Gross Barmen, and the settlement of Otjimbingwe.

The name derives from the observation of the flow of large amounts of brownish sludge that discharge into the Atlantic Ocean with the rains.

[4] The area around the river mouth and the surrounding dunes are also known for rich bird life and some unusual plant species (like the Welwitschia) that use the regular fog drifting in from the sea to sustain themselves in the absence of other moisture.

Groundwater levels in the area have dropped about 0.3 m further due to the presence of two big dams built on the Swakop River.

[5][6] The Swakop drains a catchment area of 30,100 km2 extending from the mouth into the Atlantic Ocean at Swakopmund over Otjimbingwe and in the east to about 50 km from Okahandja, and in the south to Khomas Highlands outside Windhoek.

In the arid lower reaches there is a more limited flora in the Swakop River valley itself, with the typical gallery vegetation from ana trees (Faidherbia albida), tamarisk (Tamarix), camel thorn (Acacia erioloba), Salvadora, various fig species, Euclea and also tobacco (Nicotiana spp.

[8] Wildlife in the Swakop River valley is found practically only in the sparsely populated lower reaches and is limited to antelope, smaller predators and birds.