| Fortescue River | |
|---|---|
 Ophthalmia Dam, Fortescue River | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Ophthalmia Range |
| • elevation | 602 metres (1,975 ft)[1] |
| Mouth | |
• location | Indian Ocean |
| Length | 760 kilometres (472 mi)[2] |
| Basin size | 49,759 square kilometres (19,212 sq mi)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 391 GL/a (12.4 m3/s; 438 cu ft/s) (mean)[4] |
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TheFortescue River is anephemeral river in thePilbara region ofWestern Australia. It is the third longest river in the state.
The river rises near Deadman Hill in theOphthalmia Range about 30 km south ofNewman. The river flows in a northerly direction parallel with theGreat Northern Highway until it crosses the highway just south of theMarble Bar turn-off. The river then runs north-west then west crossing theGreat Northern Highway again, north of the Auski Roadhouse. Approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Newman, the river flows through the 960 square kilometres (371 sq mi) Fortescue Marsh, an important wetland. The river continues to head west crossingHighway 1 at the Fortescue Roadhouse (21°17′44.32″S116°08′17.52″E / 21.2956444°S 116.1382000°E /-21.2956444; 116.1382000) and discharges into theIndian Ocean atMardie Station about 40 km south-west ofDampier.
The river is known to have 24tributaries that include: Western Creek, Warrawanda Creek, Shovelanna Creek, Kalgan Creek, Fortescue River South, Cowcumba Creek, Macklin Creek and Tanga Tanga Creek.
DuringCyclone Joan in 1975 many of these tributaries also flooded. Weeli Wolli Creek and Weelumurra Creek both overflowed and caused floods and washaways on the Hamersley Iron and Mount Newman railway lines.[5]
The river flows through a number of permanent water pools on the latter part of its journey including Tarda Pool, Mungowarra Pool, Crossing Pool and Deep Reach Pool.
The Fortescue Catchment area drains from the southern side of theChichester Plateau and the northern side of theHamersley Range making use of the trough between the two. The valley plains are composed of earthy clays with some cracking clays, loams and hard red soils.
Water is stored at Ophthalmia Dam which holds a total volume of 32,000ML, and a total of 6,290 ML/year are drawn from the surface water for use in the town ofNewman.[6]
The headwaters area of Fortescue River is flat and marshy. It is a location where Western Creek, Warrawanda Creek and Fortescue River converge.
The river then flows through a poorly defined channel as far as Gregory Gorge,[7] when the river starts to form a well defined channel. It then flows through a number of pools before reaching the estuarine area.[8]
The mouth of the river is a largeestuarine area. The estuary is mostly unmodified, and functions primarily as a result of river energy. The delta formed by the river istide dominated.The estuary covers a total surface area of 23.3 square kilometres (9 sq mi)[9]The majority of the estuarine area is made up ofsalt marsh and intertidal flats. A colony ofmangroves use the estuary as habitat and occupy an area of 1.2 square kilometres (0.5 sq mi). Large femalebarramundi are known to inhabit the estuary.
The river was named in 1861 during an expedition by the explorer and surveyorFrancis Thomas Gregory, afterChichester Fortescue,Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Thetraditional owners of some of the area that the river flows through are theIndjibandi people.[10]
Mardie Station, at the western end of the river, was established prior to 1883. Three paddocks were fenced, and by that year were carrying about 18,000 sheep.[11]
Roy Hill Station, much further inland, was settled in 1886 by Nat Cooke who ownedMallina Station. The first official lease was granted to D. MacKay in 1890 for an area of 20,000 acres (8,094 ha).[12]
A 69-metre (226 ft) bridge crossing the river near the station was constructed in the late 1920s to service the cattle industry.[13]
The river has been surveyed and proposed as a site for dams,[14] in the Gregory Gorge and the Dogger Gorge[15] as well as Ophthalmia.[16]
23°17′22″S119°52′29″E / 23.28944°S 119.87472°E /-23.28944; 119.87472
Rivers ofWestern Australia | |
|---|---|
| Rivers of theGascoyne region | |
| Rivers of theGoldfields–Esperance region | |
| Rivers of theGreat Southern region | |
| Rivers of theKimberley region |
|
| Rivers of theMid West region | |
| Rivers of thePeel andPerth regions | |
| Rivers of thePilbara region | |
| Rivers of theSouth West region | |
| Rivers of theWheatbelt region | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
