Balonne River

Balonne
The Balonne River atSt George,Queensland
Location of where the Balonne River branches to form theBokharaandNarranrivers in Queensland
Etymology	Mandandanji:water or running stream.
Location
Country	Australia
State	Queensland
Region	South West Queensland
City	St George
Physical characteristics
Source	Condamine River
• location	atSurat
• elevation	274 m (899 ft)
Mouth	Western branch becomesCulgoa River; Eastern branch further splits intoBokhara River(west/right) andNarran River(left/east)
• location	nearDirranbandi
• coordinates	28°43′27″S148°03′6″E
• elevation	171 m (561 ft)
Length	479 km (298 mi)
Discharge
• average	65 m3/s (2,300 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River system	Darling River,Murray-Darling basin
Tributaries
• right	Maranoa River
Reservoir	Lake Kajarabie

TheBalonne River,part of theMurray-Darling Basinsystem, is a short yet significant part of the inlandrivergroup ofSouth West Queensland,Australia.

Course and features

The river is a continuation of theCondamine River.After flowing throughSuratthe river flows south south-westerly down through theE.J. Beardmore Dam(Lake Kajarabie).Passing throughSt Georgeit continues in the same south-west direction, until about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north ofDirranbandi,where it branches, with the western branch then being called theCulgoa River.The eastern branch continues on as the Balonne River through Dirranbandi. Shortly after flowing through Dirranbandi, the Balonne River again branches into theBokhara Riveron the west side (the right side when going down stream) and theNarran Riveron the eastern (left) side.The Narran River flows intoNarran Wetlands.TheBokhara Riverjoins with theBarwon Riverwest ofBrewarrina.The confluence of the Culgoa River (a western branch of the Balonne River) and the Barwon River (which includes a former central branch of the Balonne) forms the start of theDarling River.

The Balonne-Condaminecatchment areais 136,014 square kilometres (52,515 sq mi), of which an area of 603 square kilometres (233 sq mi) is composed of riverinewetlandsand 559 square kilometres (216 sq mi) isestuarinewetlands.

The five longest tributaries of the Balonne River are the Condamine River, theMaranoa River,Dogwood Creek, Yuleba Creek and Tartulla Creek. At St George, the river is crossed by theAndrew Nixon Bridgewhich carries theBalonne Highway.

Water storage

Main article:E.J. Beardmore Dam

E.J. Beardmore Dam was formed by the construction of aweirin 1972 at the junction of the Maranoa and Balonne Rivers.When the dam is full the water backs up for 70 kilometres (43 mi) along the Balonne. Downstream from Beardmore Dam is theJack Taylor Weir,which was built in 1953.On the Balonne tributary, Dogwood Creek there is another weir, theGill Weir,which can hold 1,050 megalitres (230×10^⁶imp gal; 280×10^⁶US gal).

History

MajorThomas Mitchellcrossed the Balonne River on St George's Day, 23 April 1846. Mitchell named the river after theMandandanjiword for water or running stream,balunorbalonnorbalonne.

Gallery

• 
  E.J. Beardmore Damviewed from the downstream side.
• 
  Irrigation channel forcottonfed fromE.J. Beardmore Dam.
• 
  Siphonirrigation ofcottonnearSt George, Queensland.
• 
  Jack Taylor Weir viewed from downstream side atSt George, Queensland.

See also

• List of rivers of Australia § Queensland
• Andrew Nixon Bridge