River gauging station installed on Canning River at Kelmscott

7/7/98

A state-of-the-art river gauging station has been installed on the Canning River at Kelmscott in time to measure winter river flows, Water Resources Minister Dr Kim Hames announced yesterday.

The Harry Hunter gauging station will provide long-term records of water releases from Canning Dam, measure nutrient loads entering the Swan River from the area and provide water quality and quantity data.

It will also be used as a research and development site for trialing new water quality and flow measurement equipment.

Dr Hames said the gauging station has a design life of about 40 years and took its name from the adjacent Salvation Army Harry Hunter Rehabilitation Centre.

"It is the most technologically-advanced gauging station in the metropolitan area," he said.

"The Harry Hunter station will be an invaluable source of information to the Water and Rivers Commission and to other Government agencies, local government and researchers.

"Gauging stations are used throughout the State to give a picture of our waterways.

"Stations such as the Harry Hunter provide information on water quantity which is used when determining water allocation for regions and water quality, which is used in research and planning to improve our waterways.

"Information from the station will be used to determine levels of private water extraction from the Canning River and will help river ecology, particularly during the summer period.

"With increasing importance being placed on the levels of nutrients in the Swan and Canning rivers, the Harry Hunter station will provide information on nutrient loads that will be incorporated in the Swan Canning Cleanup Program."

The Harry Hunter gauging station includes twin floatwells, one for normal monitoring and one for new technology evaluation. The station also has a small concrete weir and a range of instrumentation, including telemetry equipment.

The nearby river banks have been stabilised with a special concrete mattress which allows the growth of light vegetation.

Media contact: Caroline Lacy (08) 9424 7450

Water and Rivers Commission: Paula Wallace (08)278 0300.