Onkaparinga River

{{Short description|River in South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox river | name = Onkaparinga | native_name = {{native name|zku|Ngangkiparri}} | name_other = | name_etymology =  | image = Onkaparinga Estuary 2.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Onkaparinga River [[estuary]] | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Australia South Australia | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the [[mouth (river)|river mouth]] in [[South Australia]]  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = [[Australia]] | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = [[South Australia]] | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = [[Southern Adelaide]] | subdivision_type4 = [[Local government in South Australia|Local government area]] | subdivision_name4 = [[Old Noarlunga, South Australia|City of Onkaparinga]] | subdivision_type5 = Towns | subdivision_name5 = {{SAcity|Woodside}}, {{SAcity|Oakbank}}, {{SAcity|Clarendon}}  | length = {{convert|88|km|mi|abbr=on}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max =  | source1 = [[Mount Lofty Range]] | source1_location = between {{SAcity|Charleston}} and [[Mount Torrens]] | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = {{convert|422|m|abbr=on}} | mouth = [[Gulf St Vincent]] | mouth_location = between {{SAcity|Port Noarlunga South}} and {{SAcity|Port Noarlunga}} | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|35.164660|S|138.469520|E|format=dms|display=title,inline|region:AU-SA_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}} | mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}} | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = {{convert|562|km2|abbr=on}} | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = [[Protected area]]s | custom_data = [[Encounter Marine Park]]<br/>[[Onkaparinga River National Park]]<br/>[[Onkaparinga River Recreation Park]]<br/>[[Port Noarlunga Reef Aquatic Reserve]] | extra = <ref name=SAGG>{{cite journal |title= GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ACT, 1991, Notice of Declaration of Names of Places |journal= The South Australian Government Gazette |date= 3 February 2011 |page= 342 |url= http://www.governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/documentstore/2011/February/2011_010.pdf |access-date= 30 March 2017 |publisher= Government of South Australia |archive-date= 30 March 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170330181608/http://www.governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/documentstore/2011/February/2011_010.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name=LMV>{{cite web|title=Search result for "Onkaparinga River, Strm" with the following layers selected – " Prescribed Water Courses", "Local Government Areas", and " SA Government Regions" |url=http://location.sa.gov.au/viewer/ |work=Location SA Map Viewer |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=30 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=PLB>{{cite web |title=Search result for "Onkaparinga River (STRM)" (Record no SA0052262) with the following layers selected – "Suburbs and Localities", "Place names (gazetteer)" and "Road Labels" |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/# |work=Property Location Browser |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=30 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=bonzle/> }} The '''Onkaparinga River''', known as '''Ngangkiparri''' or '''Ngangkiparingga''' ("place of the women’s river") in the [[Kaurna language]], is a river located in the [[Southern Adelaide]] region in the Australian state of [[South Australia]]. Rising in the [[Mount Lofty Ranges]], the river's [[estuary]] extends from [[Old Noarlunga, South Australia|Old Noarlunga]] to the river's mouth between the suburbs of [[Port Noarlunga South, South Australia|Port Noarlunga]] and Port Noarlunga South.

==Etymology and history==

The name derives from the language of the [[Kaurna people]], a word written as either Ngangkiparri or Ngangkiparingga (the -''ngga'' suffix means "at"). Translated, it means "place of the women’s river".<ref name="Schultz 2017">{{cite journal | last=Schultz | first=Chester | title=Ngangki-Paringga | website=Adelaide Research & Scholarship | date=4 August 2017 | url=https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/handle/2440/110609 | access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref> [[File:Clarendon_bridge_around_1869.jpg|thumb|left|Bridge over the Onkaparinga at [[Clarendon, South Australia|Clarendon]] circa 1869]]

On 13 April 1831, British military officer Captain [[Collet Barker]] and his party arrived at Cape Jervis on the Isabella. He examined the east coast of [[Gulf St Vincent]] and found the Onkaparinga River on 15 April. After anchoring and heading inland Barker then explored the ranges inland, north of the present site of Adelaide, and climbed Mount Lofty where he also sighted the Port River inlet, Barker Inlet and the future Port Adelaide.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=1720 | title=SA Memory }}</ref>

In 1837 [[Surveyor-General of South Australia]] Colonel [[William Light]] named it Field's River, or the Field River, after Lieutenant William George Field RN (1804–1850) of the brig ''[[Rapid (brig)|Rapid]]'' (one of the [[First Fleet of South Australia|"first fleet"]]), who carried out the first surveys in the vicinity of its estuary, but subsequent Governor [[George Gawler]] soon reinstated the Indigenous name.<ref name=colonist/>

The first European settlers to explore its sources and the Onkaparinga Valley were the party of [[George Imlay]] and [[John Hill (explorer)|John Hill]] in January 1838.<ref name=colonist>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31720558 |title=SOUTH AUSTRALIA. |newspaper=[[The Colonist (Australian newspaper)|The Colonist]] |volume=IV |issue=176 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 March 1838 |access-date=16 November 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==Course and features== The Onkaparinga River rises on the slopes of the [[Mount Lofty Range]] between [[Mount Torrens]] and [[Charleston, South Australia|Charleston]] and flows generally southwesterly, south of the [[Adelaide city centre]], to reach its [[mouth (river)|mouth]] at [[Port Noarlunga, South Australia|Port Noarlunga]]. The [[drainage basin|catchment area]] is over {{convert|500|km2|abbr=off}} in area, and in part includes the [[protected area]]s of the [[Encounter Marine Park]], the [[Onkaparinga River National Park]], the [[Onkaparinga River Recreation Park]] and the [[Port Noarlunga Reef Aquatic Reserve]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Aquatic Reserves And Marine Parks – Port Noarlunga|url=http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/65416/10._AqResWeb.pdf|publisher=PIRSA Fisheries|access-date=31 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331125626/http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/65416/10._AqResWeb.pdf|archive-date=31 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= MARINE PARK 15, Encounter |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/9a3a8c59-0f34-4e4a-85e2-a1170127270a/mp-gen-map-15-encounter.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources|access-date=5 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=MPpage5>{{cite web|title=Management Plan – Onkaparinga River Reserve|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/c3a54fec-aa3a-4b63-9b6d-9e4f00b1d89c/PARKS_PDFS_ONKAPARINGA_MP.pdf|publisher=Department of Environment and Heritage|access-date=3 April 2014|pages=5|year=2004}}</ref> The river descends {{convert|422|m}} over its {{convert|88|km|adj=on}} [[watercourse|course]].<ref name=bonzle>{{cite web |url=http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=206979&cmd=sp |title=Map of Onkaparinga River, SA |work=Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia |access-date=25 March 2017 }}</ref>

The Onkaparinga River is the second major river within the [[Adelaide|Adelaide metropolitan area]], after the [[River Torrens]]. It is a source of fresh water for [[Adelaide]]. [[Mount Bold Reservoir]] was constructed between 1932 and 1938 along a section of its path approximately {{convert|20|km|abbr=off}} inland. Much of its flow is diverted via a tunnel from the [[Clarendon Weir]] to the [[Happy Valley Reservoir]], that in turn supplies some 40 per cent of Adelaide's water supply. Most years the flow to the reservoir is supplemented by water pumped from the [[Murray River|River Murray]] via a pipeline from [[Murray Bridge, South Australia|Murray Bridge]].

Downstream from Mount Bold Reservoir is the Clarendon Weir. To maintain levels at Clarendon Weir, water is released only as required. The [[Onkaparinga Gorge]] extends from Clarendon to [[Old Noarlunga, South Australia|Old Noarlunga]]. An [[estuary]] extends from Old Noarlunga to the river's mouth between the suburbs of [[Port Noarlunga, South Australia|Port Noarlunga]] and [[Port Noarlunga South, South Australia|Port Noarlunga South]]. The estuary is a significant breeding area for local marine fish species.

[[File:Clarendon Weir panorama 05.jpg|thumb|600px|centre|Onkaparinga at [[Clarendon Weir]]]]

The [[Coast to Vines rail trail, South Australia|Coast to Vines rail trail]] crosses over the river just west of where Main South Road crosses over. The [[Seaford railway line]] passes over the river on a {{convert|1.2|km|adj=on}} elevated bridge (known as the Onkaparinga Valley Bridge) which was built between 2011 and 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seaford rail extension bridges|url=http://dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/59459/Seaford_Rail_Extension_Bridges.pdf#Seaford%20Rail%20Extension%20Bridges|publisher=Department of Transport Energy and Infrastructure|access-date=4 April 2014|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407083623/http://dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/59459/Seaford_Rail_Extension_Bridges.pdf#Seaford%20Rail%20Extension%20Bridges|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also== {{stack|{{portal|South Australia}}}} *{{Section link|List of rivers of Australia|South Australia}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==  *{{cite web | last=Schultz | first=Chester | title=Place Name Summary (PNS) 4.02/04: Ngangki-Paringga |date= 4 August 2017 | website=Adelaide Research & Scholarship|series=The Southern Kaurna Place Names Project|publisher=[[University of Adelaide]] | url=https://www.adelaide.edu.au/kwp/placenames/research-publ/1-02Kawandilla.pdf }}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060102203844/http://www.onkaparinga.net/ The Onkaparinga Catchment Water Management Board website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050210001245/http://users.bigpond.com/sch57/portnoarlunga/links/catchment.html Map of the Onkaparinga catchment]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Onkaparinga River}} [[Category:Rivers of Adelaide]]