Warragamba River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Warragamba |
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| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Sydney Basin (IBRA), Macarthur |
| Local government area | Wollondilly |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Coxs River Lake Burragorang 118 m (387 ft) |
| River mouth | confluence with the Nepean River Warragamba 22 m (72 ft) |
| Length | 18 km (11 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment |
| Tributaries |
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| Dam | Warragamba Dam |
The Warragamba River is a river in the Macarthur area of New South Wales, Australia. It's a river that flows all year round. The Warragamba River is an important part of the larger Hawkesbury-Nepean river system.
Contents
Where the Warragamba River Flows
The Warragamba River starts inside Lake Burragorang. This lake was created by the Warragamba Dam. The river is formed when the Coxs River joins with two smaller streams.
The dam creates a huge lake that holds 2,031 gigalitres (7.17×1010 cu ft) of water. This water is a major source of water supply for the big city of Sydney. The river drops about 96 metres (315 ft) in height. Most of this drop happens when the water flows over the dam's spillway.
After the dam, the river flows north for about 18 kilometres (11 mi). It then joins the Nepean River near the village of Warragamba.
The River Before the Dam
Before the Warragamba Dam was built, the Warragamba River looked very different. It used to be formed by the joining of the Coxs, Nattai, and Wollondilly rivers. This happened in a place called the Burragorang Valley.
Downstream from there, the river flowed through a deep gorge. This gorge was about 300 metres (980 ft) to 600 metres (2,000 ft) wide and 100 metres (330 ft) deep. This natural shape made it a perfect spot to build a dam. A relatively short but tall dam wall could hold back a huge amount of water.
The River Today
Today, most of the Burragorang Valley and the original Warragamba River are covered by Lake Burragorang. The part of the river that is still visible only flows for about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi). This short section runs north-east from the Warragamba Dam spillway until it meets the Nepean River.
Protecting the River's Water
The land around the Warragamba River is managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority. They have special rules and zones to protect the area. These rules control how land can be used and developed. They also limit access to certain areas. This is all done to keep the drinking water clean and safe for everyone in Sydney.
