Helena River

Helena River near Mundaring Weir. The building on the right is the first pumping station of the Golden Pipeline

The Helena River is a river in south-west of the Australian state of Western Australia.

Geography

The river rises at Pony Hill in Mundaring State Forest and flows from there to the west into Lake CYO'Connor, a reservoir. Then he continues to flow west to the Darling Range, which he between Gooseberry Hill and Greenmount - breaks - both suburbs of Perth. At Guildford he discharges into the Swan River.

Tributaries with muzzle heights

Many tributaries of the Helena River have no names because they are too small and do not cause the water all year round. The following watercourses are named:

  • Wundabiniring Brook - 250 m
  • Wariin Brook - 178 m
  • Hancock Brook - 169 m
  • Helena Brook - 165 m
  • Chinaman Gully - 149 m
  • 's Gully - 136 m
  • Hay Creek - 136 m
  • Darkin River - 134 m
  • Bourke's Gully - 110 m
  • Piesse Gully - 45 m

Reservoirs

The flow is dammed up at two positions. Better known is Lake CYO'Connor (formerly Helena reservoir ), which was named after the hydraulic engineer Charles O'Connor, who built the Golden Pipeline, which also belongs to this reservoir. The associated dam is called Mundaring Weir.

Since the construction of deeper reservoir Pipehead reservoir in the 1970s there were in the lower reaches in East Guildford and Guildford much less flooding. The majority of the water from the reservoir Pipehead is pumped back into the Lake CYO'Connor. Therefore, there are limitations to ensure the water quality in the reservoir Pipehead, although immediately north of this large suburbs of Perth are.

River crossings

Construction and strength of the bridges had until the construction of reservoirs Pipehead the higher water level at high tide to be adjusted. Significant flooding there was the early and mid -20th century.

The main bridges are

  • Below Mundaring Weir
  • Place in Helena Valley
  • In Bellevue ( Reid Highway)
  • In Midland
  • In Woodbridge
  • In East Guildford
  • In Guildford

Ecology

In the hill country of the Helena River flows mainly through state forests and state protected areas. This has a beneficial effect on parts of the catchment area, as these areas represent an important buffer between the urban settlements Mundaring and Kalamunda. The rich vegetation of the river valley is considered to be ecologically important.

In Darlington and Helena Valley, the river banks are populated and used for agriculture before the river flows into the coastal plain.

In Bellevue and Midland formerly in environmentally hazardous industrial plants on the river, so the repair work of the Western Australian Government Railways ( WAGR ) and a cattle market in Midland.

Swell

  • Ian Elliot Mundaring - A History of the Shire, 2nd edition, Mundaring Shire, Mundaring 1983, ISBN 0-9592776-0-9. .
  • Catchment Foreshore assessment in the Helena River: Nicole Siemon. Water and Rivers Commission. East Perth WA ( 2001). Water resource management series 1326-6934; Report No. 20, ISBN 0730974960 WRM
  • Ken Spillman: Life was meant to be here: community and local government in the Shire of Mundaring. Mundaring Shire, Mundaring 2003, ISBN 0-9592776-3-3.
Swan River (Western Australia) Town Darling Scarp Goldfields Water Supply Scheme
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