What River Feeds the Murray River?

The Darling River in south-east Australia eventually feeds and flows into the River Murray. The flow varies according to the season, and engineers have built several dams.

The Darling River is the outback’s most famous waterway. The Darling has suffered from overuse of its waters, pollution from pesticide runoff, and prolonged drought.

In some years, it has barely flowed at all. The high salt content and declining water quality affect the river. Increased rainfall in its catchment in 2010 improved flow, but long-term management will determine the health of the river.

The third longest river in Australia, is the Darling River which measures 1,472 kilometres (915 mi) from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales.

Including its longest contiguous tributaries, it stretches 2,844 km (1,767 mi) long, making it the longest river system in Australia. Australia’s most important agricultural region, the Murray–Darling Basin, produces roughly 40 percent of its food and fiber while supplying drinking water to millions of people.

The Paakantyi First Nations people know it as the Baaka or Barka. Charles Sturt explored it in 1829 and named it after Ralph Darling, the Governor of New South Wales at the time. The river has a highly variable flow, meaning it can experience severe dry spells as well as major floods.

The Darling River also supports farming and towns, but its lower and less predictable volume gives it a smaller overall economic footprint.

The 77,000-kilometer river network supports rare ecosystems, including 16 internationally recognized wetlands. It provides a critical refuge for over 120 waterbird species, more than 50 native fish species (like the Murray cod), and numerous endangered land animals.

Content for this question contributed by Thomas Parsons, resident of Tonawanda, Erie County, New York, USA