Broke Inlet

Broke Inlet is an inlet in the South West region of Western Australia located 19 kilometres (12 mi) west of Walpole.

The inlet is a large a shallow estuary found at the eastern end of the d'Entrecasteaux National Park, it is linked to the Southern Ocean by a narrow seasonally open channel situated between two high sand dune systems.[1]

The inlet is the only large estuary left in the South West that has not been significantly altered by development within its catchment area or along its shores.

The catchment of the inlet has an area of 928 square kilometres (358 sq mi) and the inlet itself has a surface area of 4,800 hectares (11,861 acres) with a total volume of 72,000,000 cubic metres (2.5×109 cu ft). The inlet receives an annual inflow of 187,000,000 cubic metres (6.6×109 cu ft), mostly from the Shannon River and discharges 157,000,000 cubic metres (5.5×109 cu ft) annually.[2]

The water in the inlet is brackish and mostly has half the salinity of sea water. The salinity varies greatly depending on river discharge, the season and whether the bar is open or not.

Broke Inlet is listed as a regionally significant wetland with Environment Australia.[3]

References
  1. "Walpole-Nornalup - Coastal attractions". 2008. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  2. "South Coast River Care - Broke Inlet". 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  3. "South Coast Regional Strategy for Natural Resource Management" (PDF). 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.

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