Warragamba River
River in New South Wales, Australia
title: "Warragamba River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-new-south-wales", "southern-highlands-(new-south-wales)", "hawkesbury-river", "warragamba,-new-south-wales", "wollondilly-shire"] description: "River in New South Wales, Australia" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warragamba_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary River in New South Wales, Australia ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Warragamba |
| image | Warragamba Dam Spillway 1974.jpg |
| image_caption | Warragamba River flowing over the dam spillway, 1974 |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | Australia |
| subdivision_type2 | State |
| subdivision_name2 | New South Wales |
| subdivision_type3 | Region |
| subdivision_name3 | Sydney Basin (IBRA), Macarthur |
| subdivision_type5 | Local government area |
| subdivision_name5 | Wollondilly |
| length | 18 km |
| source1 | Coxs River |
| source1_location | Lake Burragorang |
| source1_elevation | 118 m |
| mouth | confluence with the Nepean River |
| mouth_location | Warragamba |
| mouth_elevation | 22 m |
| river_system | Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment |
| tributaries_left | Monkey Creek |
| tributaries_right | Ripple Creek |
| custom_label | Dam |
| custom_data | Warragamba Dam |
| extra | |
| :: |
| name = Warragamba | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Warragamba Dam Spillway 1974.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Warragamba River flowing over the dam spillway, 1974 | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Australia | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = New South Wales | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = Sydney Basin (IBRA), Macarthur | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = Local government area | subdivision_name5 = Wollondilly | length = 18 km | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = Coxs River | source1_location = Lake Burragorang | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 118 m | mouth = confluence with the Nepean River | mouth_location = Warragamba | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 22 m | progression = | river_system = Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment | basin_size = | tributaries_left = Monkey Creek | tributaries_right = Ripple Creek | custom_label = Dam | custom_data = Warragamba Dam | extra = The Warragamba River, a river that is part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located in the Macarthur region of New South Wales, Australia.
Course and features
Formed through the confluence of the Coxs River and two minor tributaries, Warragamba River rises within Lake Burragorang and is the river on which Warragamba Dam is established, creating a large reservoir with total capacity of 2031 GL, that forms a major part of the water supply to greater metropolitan Sydney. The river descends 96 m, the majority of which is over the dam spillway, and then flows north into the Nepean River, north of the village of Warragamba, a course of approximately 18 km.
Prior to the creation of Lake Burragorang, the Warragamba River would have been formed by the confluences of the Coxs, Nattai, and Wollondilly rivers in the Burragorang Valley. Downstream, the river flowed through a gorge that varied in width from 300 m to 600 m, and was 100 m in depth. It was this configuration which allowed a relatively short but high dam wall in the gorge to impound a large quantity of water.
Today, the Burragorang Valley and most of the Warragamba River is submerged beneath the lake, and the remaining section of the river flows only the 3.5 km north-east from the Warragamba Dam spillway to its confluence with the Nepean River.
The area surrounding Warragamba River is managed by Sydney Catchment Authority under the that defines special zones and places restrictions and controls on land use, development and access in order to safeguard potable water.
Popular culture
- A popular phrase used throughout greater Sydney Australia is Warragamba Slammer. This refers to a glass of water, which is used in pubs and restaurants.
References
References
- (21 March 1975). "Warragamba River".
- "Warragamba River, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
- (8 March 2013). "Water supply: Warragamba Dam facts". [[Government of New South Wales]].
- Aird, W. V. (1961). "The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage of Sydney". [[Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board]].
- (26 March 2013). "Catchments: Access in Special Areas". [[Government of New South Wales]].
- Jessen, Mark. (2017-11-26). "A Change is Brewing: The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beer".
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