Ord River & Ord River Irrigation

The Ord River is a 651-kilometre long (405 mi) river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The river's catchment covers 55,100 square kilometres (21,274 sq mil

The lower Ord River and the confluence with Cambridge Gulf create the most northern estuarine environment in Western Australia.

The Ord River Irrigation Scheme was built in stages during the 20th century. Australia's largest artificial lake by volume, Lake Argyle, was completed in 1972.

The lower reaches of the river support an important wetland area known as the Ord River Floodplain, a protected area that contains numerous mangrove forests, lagoons, creeks, flats, and extensive floodplains. You can also see the Old River sandalwood plantation near Kununurra , which is currently more expensive than silver.

It was given its English name in honour of Sir Harry St. George Ord , Governor of Western Australia from 1877 to 1880, by Alexander Forrest on 2 August 1879

The Ord River irrigation

The Ord River dams provide water for irrigation to over 117 square kilometres (45 sq mi) of farmland and extensions to the scheme are underway to allow irrigation of a further 440 square kilometres (170 sq mi). The main Ord River dam also generates power for the local community of Kununurra. By 2009 more than 60 different crops were grown in the Ord catchment area.[24] One third of the area was used for sugar cane cultivation[25] until the closure of the Ord Sugar Mill in 2007.[26] In 2012 the release was approved of an additional 74 square kilometres (29 sq mi) of Stage 2 Goomig lands for irrigated agriculture, while the same year the West Australian Department of Agriculture conducted soil and water investigations of the Cockatoo Sands (red loamy sands) near the Ord River Irrigation Area, Kununurra. These investigations identified about 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi) of Cockatoo Sands and about 24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi) of Pago Sands on Carlton Hill Station suitable for fodder or perennial crops. The Cockatoo Sands have great potential because they are well-drained and have capacity to support agriculture throughout the wet season. As part of the Water for Food government program, the Department of Agriculture also investigated an additional 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi) of Cockatoo soils north of Kununurra for possible expansion.Read more