Avoca River

The Avoca River drains a substantial part of central Victoria. It rises at the foot of Mount Lonarch, near the small town of Amphitheatre, and flows north for {{convert|270|km}}{{cite web|title=Rivers - Assessment of River Condition - Victoria |url=http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/condition/vic/basin-avoca-river.html |access-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013084918/http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/condition/vic/basin-avoca-river.html |archive-date=13 October 2010 }} joined by thirteen minor tributaries, and through the towns of {{VICcity|Avoca}}, {{VICcity|Charlton}} and {{VICcity|Quambatook}}. Two major distributaries leave the Avoca River between Charlton and Quambatook: Tyrrell Creek, flowing to Lake Tyrrell, and Lalbert Creek flowing to Lake Lalbert.

Although the Avoca River basin is part of the Murray-Darling basin,{{cite web|title=State Water Report 2004/05 |url=http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/14784/State-Water-Report-2004-05-13-Avoca-Basin.pdf |type=PDF |publisher=Victorian Government |access-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628030246/http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/14784/State-Water-Report-2004-05-13-Avoca-Basin.pdf |archive-date=28 June 2009 }} the Avoca River does not empty into the Murray. Nowhere a large stream, it dwindles as it flows north, eventually terminating in the Kerang Lakes, a network of ephemeral swamps west of Kerang and about {{convert|20|km}} south of the Murray River.

Although the Avoca River has a substantial {{convert|12000|km2|adj=on}} catchment area, the fifth-largest in Victoria, most of that area is on the northern plains where rainfall averages only about {{convert|350|mm}} per year, and where there is little runoff because the terrain is very flat. The mean annual runoff of {{convert|137|GL|e9impgal+e9USgal}} per annum accounts for only 0.67% of Victoria's runoff.{{cite web|title=Water resources - Availability - Victoria |url=http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/availability/vic/index.html |access-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218025937/http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/water/availability/vic/index.html |archive-date=18 February 2011 }} Most of the water flowing in the Avoca River originates in the small upper portion of the catchment area, where rainfall averages about {{convert|600|mm}} per year, most of it falling in the winter and spring.{{cite book|author=CSIRO|author-link=CSIRO|title=Water availability in the Loddon-Avoca: A report to the Australian Government|work=Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project|publisher=CSIRO|url=http://www.csiro.au/~/media/CSIROau/Flagships/Water%20for%20a%20Healthy%20Country%20Flagship/Loddon-AvocaMDBSYReport_wfhc_pdf%20Standard.pdf|date=May 2008|access-date=5 February 2011|type=PDF|location=Australia|issn=1835-095X}}

Of all the Victorian rivers in the Murray-Darling basin, the Avoca River is the most variable. The average annual flow is {{convert|85|GL|e9impgal+e9USgal}}, but recorded actual flows have varied from almost five times the average figure in very wet years, when the river can flood, to 0.5% of the average in drought years, when the flow is less than {{convert|50|ML|e6impgal+e6USgal}} per day. In dry years, the flow can stop for many months.

Although it is the only river of significance in the area, no major water storages have been constructed on it, but there are six weirs of only local significance. Little use of the river is made for irrigation because, during the peak demand periods of summer and autumn, it is often not flowing. During low-flow periods, the water is usually too saline to use on crops, but can still provide drinking water for sheep and cattle.

The river is crossed by the Pyrenees Highway at Avoca, and the Borung Highway and the Calder Highway at Charlton.

As the river is relatively long, Aboriginal peoples from various cultural groups lived near the river course. In the Djadjawurrung, Wathawurrung, Wergaia, and Wembawemba languages, the river has several names, including Natte yaluk and Boca, both with no clearly defined meaning; Bangyeno Banip, meaning bunyip waterholes; Djub-djub-galg, meaning a place where melaleuca was abundant; Witchelliba, with witji meaning basket grass and bar meaning river; and Yangeba, with no clearly defined meaning.{{cite web|author1=Clark, Ian|author2=Heydon, Toby|work=Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages|url=http://www.vaclang.org.au|date=2011|title=Avoca River: Traditional Names}}

{{Stack|{{Portal|Australia|Water}}}}

• {{Section link|List of rivers of Australia|Victoria}}

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{{Stack|{{Commons category|Avoca River (Victoria)|Avoca River}}}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.mdba.gov.au/about-basin/how-river-runs/wimmera-avoca|title=Wimmera-Avoca|work=Murray-Darling Basin Authority|publisher=Australian Government|date=2014|access-date=18 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023084419/http://www.mdba.gov.au/about-basin/how-river-runs/wimmera-avoca|archive-date=23 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/Avoca_LP.pdf |title=Avoca River longitudinal profile |work=Murray-Darling Basin Authority |publisher=Australian Government |type=PDF |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215130713/http://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/Avoca_LP.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2014 |df=dmy }}
• {{cite web|url=http://environmentvictoria.org.au/lifeblood/avoca|title=Avoca|work=Our rivers|date=14 September 2016 |publisher=Environment Victoria}}

{{Rivers of the North-Central catchment of the Murray-Darling basin}}

{{Rivers of Victoria}}

{{Rivers of the Murray–Darling basin |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:North-Central catchment

Category:Rivers of Grampians (region)

Category:Rivers of Loddon Mallee (region)

Category:Tributaries of the Murray River

Category:Wimmera

Category:Central Highlands (Victoria)