Arrowsmith River

The Arrowsmith River lies within the Mid West region of Western Australia.

Arrowsmith River
Location
CountryAustralia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationArrino
 • elevation250 metres (820 ft)[1]
Mouth 
 • location
Arrowsmith Lake
Length85 kilometres (53 mi)[2]
Basin size1,833 square kilometres (708 sq mi)[3]
Discharge 
 • average5,212 ML/a (5.833 cu ft/s)[4]

The explorer George Grey found the river on 11 April 1839, on his second disastrous expedition along the west coast. He named it after the distinguished English cartographer John Arrowsmith.[5]

The river commences just south of Arrino and north-west of Three Springs near the Midlands Road and flows in a westerly direction for a length of 85 kilometres (53 mi) to the coast and terminates in Arrowsmith Lake, 9 kilometres (6 mi) inland from Cliff Head.

The river drops a total of 219 metres (719 ft) in elevation over the course of its length.

Flooding in surrounding areas occurred in 1932 following a torrential downpour that caused the river and surrounding creeks to rise and flood a few hours later.[6]

The salinity levels in the river are often higher than 1000 mg/L due to brackish run-off water, but the potential bore yields of the catchment are quite high.[7]

References
  1. "Bonzle Digital Atlas – Arrowsmith River". 2006. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
  2. Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of river names – A". Retrieved 11 October 2008.
  3. "West Midlands Hydrology Project" (PDF). 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  4. "WA Department of Water – Water Resources Data – Streamflow Sites – Arrowsmith River – Robb Crossing". 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
  5. Grey, George (1841). Journals of two expeditions of discovery in North-West and Western Australia, during the years 1837, 38, and 39, describing many newly discovered, important, and fertile districts, with observations on the moral and physical condition of the aboriginal inhabitants, etc. etc. 2. London: T. and W. Boone. p. 56. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  6. "Anxiety in the Country". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 July 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  7. "Australian Natural Resources Atlas". 2007. Archived from the original on 13 August 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2008.


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