Cane River (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Cane River is a river
in the Pilbara of Western Australia
.
The headwaters of the river rise east of the Hamersley Range and flow in a north westerly direction through the Cane River Conservation Park and over the Onslow Coastal Plain then discharge into the Indian Ocean
near Yardie Landing approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) North East of Onslow
.
The river is considered to be dendritic with no major tributaries, numerous wells exist within the catcehment area. The river has one large permanent pool, Jabaddar Pool which is located downstrean from the North West Coastal Highway
.
The mouth of the river is a largely unmodified estuary that works as a function of tidal energy. The estuary
covers a total area of 18 square kilometres (7 sq mi) that is mostly satmarh but with a small colony of mangrove
s.
The river was named in 1866 by the explorer Harry Whittall Venn, the first European to discover the river, and later was a member of the Forrest Ministry
. He named the river after Charles Cane who was a member of Venns expedition.
The waters have an average salinity
of 90 mg/L and turbidity
of 335 NTU.
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 Pilbara 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 headwaters of the river rise east of the Hamersley Range and flow in a north westerly direction through the Cane River Conservation Park and over the Onslow Coastal Plain then discharge 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...
near Yardie Landing approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) North East of Onslow
Onslow, Western Australia
Onslow is a coastal town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, north of Perth. It currently has a population of around 573 people and is in the Shire of Ashburton Local Government Area....
.
The river is considered to be dendritic with no major tributaries, numerous wells exist within the catcehment area. The river has one large permanent pool, Jabaddar Pool which is located downstrean from the North West Coastal Highway
North West Coastal Highway
North West Coastal Highway in Western Australia is a generally north-south Western Australian highway which links the fishing town of Geraldton with the iron ore port of Port Hedland. It is long, and constructed as a sealed 2-lane single carriageway with overtaking lanes in some parts. It was...
.
The mouth of the river is a largely unmodified estuary that works as a function of tidal energy. The 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....
covers a total area of 18 square kilometres (7 sq mi) that is mostly satmarh but with a small colony of mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s.
The river was named in 1866 by the explorer Harry Whittall Venn, the first European to discover the river, and later was a member of the Forrest Ministry
Forrest ministry
The Forrest Ministry was the first government ministry in Western Australia, after the inauguration of responsible government. It was in government from 29 December 1890 to 14 February 1901, when it was succeeded by the Throssell Ministry following the 1901 elections.The members of the Forrest...
. He named the river after Charles Cane who was a member of Venns expedition.
The waters have an average 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 90 mg/L and turbidity
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality....
of 335 NTU.