Watts River
| Watts (Broong-ku-galk) | |
| River | |
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| State | Victoria |
| Regions | South Eastern Highlands (IBRA), Central Victoria |
| Local government area | Yarra Ranges Shire |
| Part of | Port Phillip and Western Port catchment |
| Tributaries | |
| - right | Meyers Creek |
| Town | Healesville |
| Source | Yarra Ranges, Great Dividing Range |
| - location | below Mount Vinegar |
| - elevation | 865 m (2,838 ft) |
| - coordinates | 37°39′31″S 145°41′58″E / 37.65861°S 145.69944°E |
| Mouth | confluence with the Yarra River |
| - location | south of Healesville |
| - elevation | 77 m (253 ft) |
| - coordinates | 37°39′55″S 145°29′20″E / 37.66528°S 145.48889°ECoordinates: 37°39′55″S 145°29′20″E / 37.66528°S 145.48889°E |
| Length | 29 km (18 mi) |
| National park | Watts River Reference Area, Yarra Ranges National Park |
| Reservoir | Maroondah Reservoir |
| Nature reserve | Maroondah Reservoir Park |
The Watts River is a perennial river of the Port Phillip and Western Port catchment, located in the Central Victoria region of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Watts River rises below Mount Vinegar within the Yarra Ranges, a part of the Great Dividing Range, within the Watts River Reference Area, near the settlement of Somers Park, north east of Healesville. The river flows generally south, then northwest, then southwest where it is impounded by the Maroondah Dam to create the 22,000-megalitre (780×106 cu ft) Maroondah Reservoir. After flowing over the dam spillway, the river flows generally west by south, joined by the Meyers Creek, before reaching its confluence with the Yarra River south of Healesville. The river descends 788 metres (2,585 ft) over its 29 kilometres (18 mi) course.
The river became part of Melbourne's water supply system in 1891, with the construction of a diversion weir and the Maroondah Aqueduct. At that time, the catchments were closed and cleared of human habitation. The river was dammed in 1927 to form Maroondah Reservoir. It is largely contained in the forested reservoir catchment within the Yarra Ranges National Park.
The river is traversed by the Maroondah Highway, upriver of the Maroondah Reservoir.
In the Australian Aboriginal Woiwurrung language, the name for the river is Broong-ku-galk, with galk meaning "timber" or "sticks".
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Wikipedia