Broke Inlet
Encyclopedia
Broke Inlet is an inlet
in the South West region of Western Australia
located 19 kilometres (12 mi) West of Walpole
.
The inlet is a large a shallow estuary
found at the eastern end of the d'Entrecasteaux National Park
, it is linked to the Southern Ocean
by a narrow seasonally open channel situated between two high sand dune systems.
The inlet is the only large estuary
left in the South West that has not been significantly altered by development within its catchment
area or along its shores.
The catchment of the inlet has an area of 928 square kilometres (358 sq mi) and the inlet itself has a surface area of 4800 hectares (11,861 acre) with a total volume of 72000000 cubic metres (2,542,655,967.3 cu ft).
The inlet receives an annual inflow of 187000000 cubic metres (6,603,842,581.8 cu ft), mostly from the Shannon River
and discharges 157000000 cubic metres (5,544,402,595.4 cu ft) annually.
The water in the inlet is brackish and mostly has half the salinity
of sea water. The salinity varies greatly depending on river discharge, the season and whether the bar is open or not.
Broke Inlet is listed as a regionally significant wetland
with Environment Australia.
Inlet
An inlet is a narrow body of water between islands or leading inland from a larger body of water, often leading to an enclosed body of water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon or marsh. In sea coasts an inlet usually refers to the actual connection between a bay and the ocean and is often called an...
in the South West region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
located 19 kilometres (12 mi) West of Walpole
Walpole, Western Australia
Walpole is a town in Western Australia, 432 km SSE of Perth and 66 km west of Denmark.Walpole lies very close to the northern point of the 100-hectare Walpole Inlet, from which it takes its name....
.
The inlet is a large a shallow estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
found at the eastern end of the d'Entrecasteaux National Park
D'Entrecasteaux National Park
D'Entrecasteaux National Park is a national park in Western Australia , south of Perth. The park is named after the French Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux who was the first European to sight the area and name Point D'Entrecasteaux in 1792....
, it is linked to the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
by a narrow seasonally open channel situated between two high sand dune systems.
The inlet is the only large estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
left in the South West that has not been significantly altered by development within its catchment
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area or along its shores.
The catchment of the inlet has an area of 928 square kilometres (358 sq mi) and the inlet itself has a surface area of 4800 hectares (11,861 acre) with a total volume of 72000000 cubic metres (2,542,655,967.3 cu ft).
The inlet receives an annual inflow of 187000000 cubic metres (6,603,842,581.8 cu ft), mostly from the Shannon River
Shannon River (Western Australia)
Shannon River is a river located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.The river rises in the forests to the West of Lake Muir and flows in a southerly direction , crossing the South Western Highway just East of Shannon then continuing South through the Shannon National Park before...
and discharges 157000000 cubic metres (5,544,402,595.4 cu ft) annually.
The water in the inlet is brackish and mostly has half the salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
of sea water. The salinity varies greatly depending on river discharge, the season and whether the bar is open or not.
Broke Inlet is listed as a regionally significant wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
with Environment Australia.