Denmark River
Encyclopedia
The Denmark River is located in the Great Southern
region of Western Australia
.
The river rises near Pardelup and meanders in a southerly direction until it flows through Denmark
into Wilson Inlet
(along with the Hay River
).
The river was named after a physician
Dr Alexander Denmark of the British Fleet by the rivers discoverer Dr Thomas Braidwood Wilson who explored the area in 1829 while his ship was being repaired in Albany
. A surveyor noted in 1833 that the local aborigines, the Noongar
, called the river "Koorrabup" that means "Place of the Black Swan
".
The river flows through Denmark Dam. The two tributaries of the river are Scotsdale Brook and Cleerillup Creek.
in the catchment area. It is estimated that 40% of the upper catchment area has been cleared and as a result salinity
levels increased from 40 mg/L in the 1940s to when the rivers salinity levels peaked at 1520 mg/L
in 1987 at the Mt Lindesay gauging station but now has an average of 700 mg/L and is a target level for the future has been set at 500 mg/L.
In 2004 it was announced that salinity levels in the river were decreasing, believed to be the first major river in Australia that had shown a reversal in salinity trends, and that it is possible that the river could provide drinking quality water in the future.
Great Southern
Great Southern can refer to any of the following:*Great Southern Television, based in Auckland and Sydney.*Great Southern , a region in Western Australia.*Great Southern , the backing band for American rock guitarist Dickey Betts....
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...
.
The river rises near Pardelup and meanders in a southerly direction until it flows through Denmark
Denmark, Western Australia
Denmark is a town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, south-south-east of the state capital of Perth. At the 2006 census, Denmark had a population of 2,732.-History:...
into Wilson Inlet
Wilson Inlet
Wilson Inlet is an inlet located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.The inlet receives water from the two main rivers: the Denmark River and the Hay River and some smaller rivers and streams such as the Sleeman River, Little River and Cuppup Creek...
(along with the Hay River
Hay River (Western Australia)
The Hay River is a river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.The river is part of the Denmark catchment along with the Denmark River and the Sleeman-Cuppup River...
).
The river was named after a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
Dr Alexander Denmark of the British Fleet by the rivers discoverer Dr Thomas Braidwood Wilson who explored the area in 1829 while his ship was being repaired in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
. A surveyor noted in 1833 that the local aborigines, the Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
, called the river "Koorrabup" that means "Place of the Black Swan
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
".
The river flows through Denmark Dam. The two tributaries of the river are Scotsdale Brook and Cleerillup Creek.
Salinity
The river's water quality has declined as a result of land clearingLand clearing in Australia
Land clearing in Australia describes the removal of native vegetation and deforestation and in Australia. Land clearing involves the removal of native vegetation and habitats, including the bulldozing of native bushlands, forests, savannah, woodlands and native grasslands and the draining of...
in the catchment area. It is estimated that 40% of the upper catchment area has been cleared and as a result 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...
levels increased from 40 mg/L in the 1940s to when the rivers salinity levels peaked at 1520 mg/L
Gram per litre
A gram per liter or litre is a unit of measurement of mass concentration that shows how many grams of a certain substance are present in one litre of a usually liquid or gaseous mixture. It is not an SI unit because it contains the non-SI unit litre...
in 1987 at the Mt Lindesay gauging station but now has an average of 700 mg/L and is a target level for the future has been set at 500 mg/L.
In 2004 it was announced that salinity levels in the river were decreasing, believed to be the first major river in Australia that had shown a reversal in salinity trends, and that it is possible that the river could provide drinking quality water in the future.