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Serpentine River (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Serpentine River is a river
in the South West region of Western Australia
.
The river rises in the Darling Scarp
below Bowerling Hill and flows westward crossing Albany Highway
North of North Bannister
. The river continues North West through the Youarling State Forest then the Serpentine National Park
. The river flows through Serpentine Dam
then flows over Serpentine falls just south of Jarrahdale
as it comes off the Scarp and onto the Swan Coastal Plain
. The river continues West and crosses the South Western Highway
then flows past the town of Serpentine
. The river then veers South and continues until it discharges into the Peel Inlet near Mandurah, Western Australia
.
The upper reaches of the river flow into Serpentine Dam
which provides drinking water to the Perth metropolitan area.
The only tributary to Serpentine River is Big Brook. The river also flows through Kerulup Pool, Lake Amarillo and Goegrup Lake.
The river is known to have toxic algal blooms with the last occurring in 2007. Algal bloom
s usually occur after hot weather and in the upper reaches of the river.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
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...
.
The river rises in the Darling Scarp
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
below Bowerling Hill and flows westward crossing Albany Highway
Albany Highway
Albany Highway is a generally northwest-southeast highway in the south of Western Australia which links the state's capital Perth with its oldest settlement, Albany. The highway is approximately in length, is designated State Route 30 and separates Western Australia's Great Southern region from...
North of North Bannister
North Bannister, Western Australia
North Bannister is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway between Armadale and Williams....
. The river continues North West through the Youarling State Forest then the Serpentine National Park
Serpentine National Park
Serpentine National Park is a national park in Western Australia , located on the Darling Scarp, approximately 50 km southeast of Perth....
. The river flows through Serpentine Dam
Serpentine Dam
The Serpentine Dam is one of the major water supply dams for Perth, Western Australia. The dam is used to store water which is released at a controlled rate to regulate the level in Serpentine Pipehead Dam, which in turn feeds water to the metropolitan trunk main network depending on demand....
then flows over Serpentine falls just south of Jarrahdale
Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Jarrahdale is a small historic town located 50 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Range. Jarrahdale is a descriptive name, derived from its situation in some of Western Australia's best Jarrah forest...
as it comes off the Scarp and onto the Swan Coastal Plain
Swan Coastal Plain
The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geological and biological zone, one of Western Australia's...
. The river continues West and crosses the South Western Highway
South Western Highway
South Western Highway is a highway in the South West region of Western Australia connecting Perth's southeast with Walpole. It is a part of the National Highway 1 network for most of its length...
then flows past the town of Serpentine
Serpentine, Western Australia
Serpentine is a town located south-southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and 7 km south of Mundijong. Serpentine is located on the South Western Railway between Perth and Bunbury, and was one of the original stations when the line was opened in 1893...
. The river then veers South and continues until it discharges into the Peel Inlet near Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located approximately south of the state capital, Perth.The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors...
.
The upper reaches of the river flow into Serpentine Dam
Serpentine Dam
The Serpentine Dam is one of the major water supply dams for Perth, Western Australia. The dam is used to store water which is released at a controlled rate to regulate the level in Serpentine Pipehead Dam, which in turn feeds water to the metropolitan trunk main network depending on demand....
which provides drinking water to the Perth metropolitan area.
The only tributary to Serpentine River is Big Brook. The river also flows through Kerulup Pool, Lake Amarillo and Goegrup Lake.
The river is known to have toxic algal blooms with the last occurring in 2007. Algal bloom
Algal bloom
An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically, only one or a small number of phytoplankton species are involved, and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration...
s usually occur after hot weather and in the upper reaches of the river.
See also
- Serpentine National ParkSerpentine National ParkSerpentine National Park is a national park in Western Australia , located on the Darling Scarp, approximately 50 km southeast of Perth....