Hardy Inlet facts for kids
.JPG)
The Hardy Inlet is a special type of waterway called an inlet located in the South West part of Western Australia. It's a place where fresh water from rivers mixes with salty ocean water.
The town of Augusta sits on the south-western side of this inlet. The inlet connects to the big Southern Ocean through a wider area called Flinders Bay. Two rivers, the Blackwood River and the Scott River, flow into the north-eastern end of the inlet, bringing fresh water and nutrients.
Contents
What is Hardy Inlet?
Hardy Inlet is a type of estuary that is mostly shaped by ocean waves. This means it's always open to the ocean. The water in the inlet can often look a bit cloudy or muddy, which is called turbid. This cloudiness is caused by tiny bits of sand and dirt floating in the water. The total area of the inlet is about 20 square kilometres (8 sq mi), which is quite large!
How Deep is the Inlet?
Hardy Inlet is actually the wide, lower part of the Blackwood Estuary. It has a long, narrow entrance channel that can change its shape over time. Most of the inlet is quite shallow, with depths less than 1 metre (3 ft). However, there are deeper channels that range from 2 metres (7 ft) to 8 metres (26 ft) deep.
Water Quality and Algae
Sometimes, there are lots of tiny water plants, called algae, that grow very quickly in the inlet. This is known as an "algal bloom." These blooms have been seen near Molloy Island and West Bay. They happen because there are too many nutrients, especially Nitrogen and Phosphorus, in the water. These nutrients often come from farms or towns nearby.
Staying Safe from Algae
When there are too many algae, some of them can be harmful. Because of this, warnings have been given to people not to eat shellfish like mussels and oysters from the inlet. This is because these shellfish filter water to eat, and they can collect the harmful algae, making them unsafe for humans to eat.
Fishing in Hardy Inlet
In the past, people used to fish in Hardy Inlet to sell their catch. This was called commercial fishing. However, all the special permits for commercial fishing in the inlet have now been stopped. Today, only people fishing for fun, known as recreational fishing, are allowed to catch fish in Hardy Inlet. This helps protect the fish and the environment in the inlet.
