30-Apr-2020 Theme: 'Rivers'

(1) The Murray River’s flow is severely constrained by three narrow points as it passes through the redgum forest area downstream of Tocumwal. What do river managers call this constrained reach?

Answer: The Barmah Choke.

(2) What do the following five rivers have in common?: Hunter River (NSW), Murray River (NSW/Vic/SA), Lockhart River (Qld), Serpentine River (Tas) and Fitzroy River (Qld).

Answer: They all have counterparts in Western Australia (ie. rivers of the same name).

(3) What is the largest constructed reservoir in Australia? (bonus point: what is the second largest?).

Answer: Lake Gordon (Tasmania). Bonus: Lake Argyle (WA).

(4) Which famous scientist published an explanation in 1926 of why rivers meander?

Answer: Albert Einstein (‘Die Ursache der Mäanderbildung der Flußläufe und des sogenannten Baerschen Gesetzes’, Naturwissenschaften, 14, 223–224, 1926).

(5) What two rivers were dammed in the 1970s to flood Lake Pedder, transforming it into Tasmania’s second largest lake? (one point each).

Answer: Serpentine River and Huon River.

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