Salt River (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
Salt River is a saline
river system in south-west Western Australia
. It arises from a chain of salt lake
s in the vicinity of Corrigin, flowing northward nearly to Bruce Rock then west and south-west past Quairading
, before discharging into the Yenyening Lakes northeast of Brookton
. These in turn discharge into the Avon River
, which discharges into the Swan River
estuary, which discharges into the Indian Ocean
.
It has a very low gradient, estimated at around 30 centimetres fall per kilometre. In many places it is essentially flat, and in these places it forms relatively large salt-lakes that hold large amounts of water before eventually filling and overflowing. Thus the Salt River does not flow all at once, other than during periods of prolonged or extreme rainfall. Rather, each component rotates through a cycle of filling and overflowing, influenced by cycles further upstream.
The nominal, gazetted location of Salt River is 31°48′26"S 117°38′7"E.
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...
river system in south-west 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...
. It arises from a chain of salt lake
Salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water which has a concentration of salts and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes . In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water, but such lakes would also be termed hypersaline lakes...
s in the vicinity of Corrigin, flowing northward nearly to Bruce Rock then west and south-west past Quairading
Quairading, Western Australia
Quairading is a Western Australian town located in the Wheatbelt region. It is the seat of government for the Shire of Quairading.-History:The town was named for Quairading Spring, derived from a local Aboriginal word recorded in 1872 by surveyor Alexander Forrest. The first European settler in the...
, before discharging into the Yenyening Lakes northeast of Brookton
Brookton, Western Australia
Brookton is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, Australia, from the state capital, Perth via the Brookton Highway where it crosses the Great Southern Highway. The town is also located on the Great Southern railway line. It is located within, and is the seat of government...
. These in turn discharge into the Avon River
Avon River (Western Australia)
The Avon River is a river in Western Australia. It is a tributary of the Swan River totalling 280 kilometres in length, with a catchment area of 125,000 square kilometres.-Catchment area:...
, which discharges into the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
estuary, which discharges into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
It has a very low gradient, estimated at around 30 centimetres fall per kilometre. In many places it is essentially flat, and in these places it forms relatively large salt-lakes that hold large amounts of water before eventually filling and overflowing. Thus the Salt River does not flow all at once, other than during periods of prolonged or extreme rainfall. Rather, each component rotates through a cycle of filling and overflowing, influenced by cycles further upstream.
The nominal, gazetted location of Salt River is 31°48′26"S 117°38′7"E.