Southern Adelaide Area
The longest river in the Southern Adelaide area is the Onkaparinga River. The Onkaparinga River is one of the longest watercourses in South Australia. The river begins near Mount Torrens in the Mount Lofty Ranges and flows through townships including Woodside, Mylor and Clarendon before flowing onto the southern Adelaide plains. The river ends at Port Noarlunga after passing through an estuarine zone of about 10km.
The catchment area is approximately 564 km2 and contains farms, national parks, suburbs and industrial areas. Tributaries of the Onkaparinga (smaller streams that feed into the river) include: Aldgate Creek, Cox Creek, Lenswood Creek, Inverbrackie Creek, Echunga Creek and Kangarilla Creek.
What does Onkaparinga mean?
The name Onkaparinga is derived from the Kaurna language: 'Ngangki-parri-unga', meaning 'The Place of the Woman's River.’
Aboriginal significance
Waterways are an important part of Aboriginal cultural heritage. Streams and lakes feature in Dreaming stories and are sites of camps and ceremonies. The Onkaparinga River was an important source of food and water for Aboriginal groups living in the region.
What was the river like before Europeans arrived?
Before European settlement, the Onkaparinga River was ephemeral, which means the river did not flow all year round. During summer, dry stream beds separated large pools. This still occurs in some parts of the river such as the Onkaparinga Gorge.
What happens to the water flow today?
The hydrology of the Onkaparinga River catchment is influenced by the operation of the metropolitan Adelaide water supply system. Water is pumped in from the River Murray and a series of reservoirs and weirs. River Murray water is pumped into the Onkaparinga River at Hahndorf where it flows to the Mount Bold Reservoir. Water is then released from Mount Bold Reservoir to be diverted via Clarendon Weir to the Happy Valley Reservoir, where it is treated and filtered before being supplied to metropolitan Adelaide for consumption (refer to Catchment Connections - Folder 3 - Water for People for more detail)