Kalgan River

	Kalgan River at a glance
	Catchment area:		2562 square kilometres
	Average annual rainfall over catchment:		600 millimetres
	River length:		140 kilometres
	Annual discharge volume:		53,400 Megalitres
	Extent of tidal influence:		nine kilometres
	Percentage cleared:		66%
	River health:		marginally saline to brackish

      

The river water quality varies from marginal to brackish, with an elevated salinity caused by extensive clearing in the upper catchment, although the presence of salt tolerant fringing vegetation suggests that the salinity was probably always high. The water flows all year.

Although salinity and heavy grazing have taken their toll on the fringing vegataion along the river in the upper catchment and also along the major tributaries lower down, most of the main channels are habitat rivers, with only a few sections of agricultural drain. Tributaries within or alongside the Stirling Range National Park are near pristine or relatively natural.

The lower nine kilometres of the river takes the form of a drowned river valley with steep hillsides of forest and farmland, and the occasional outcrop of granite. This part of the river is a major feature of the Albany region, and is used for scenic boat tours.

Further Information:

Albany Waterways Resource Book: Water and Rivers Commission 1999

South Coast Regional Land and Water Care Strategy: The Albany Hinterland Sub-region. Prepared by the South Coast Regional Assessment Panel and the South Coast Regional Initiative Planning Team: December 1996