River Torrens

Torrens Karrawirra Parri[1]
View of Elder Park, the Riverside Precinct and the Torrens Lake, before construction of the pedestrian bridge in 2014.
Torrens catchment, creeks and reservoirs
Location of the river mouth in South Australia
Etymology	Robert Torrens[2]
Native name	Karrawirraparri (Kaurna) Tandanyaparri (Kaurna)
Location
Country	Australia
State	South Australia
Region	Adelaide Plains
Physical characteristics
Source	Mount Lofty Ranges
• location	Mount Pleasant
• elevation	480 m (1,570 ft)
Mouth	Gulf St Vincent
• location	Henley Beach South
• coordinates	34°55′S 138°36′E / 34.917°S 138.600°E / -34.917; 138.600
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	85 km (53 mi)
Basin size	508 km2 (196 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	mouth[3]
• average	0.71 m3/s (25 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Reservoir	Kangaroo Creek Reservoir
[4]

The River Torrens /ˈtɒrənz/ (Karrawirra Parri / Karrawirraparri) is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. It was one of the main reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows 85 kilometres (53 mi) from its source in the Adelaide Hills near Mount Pleasant, across the Adelaide Plains, past the city centre and empties into Gulf St Vincent between Henley Beach South and West Beach. The upper stretches of the river and the reservoirs in its watershed supply a significant part of the city's water supply.

The river is also known by the native Kaurna name for the river—Karrawirra Parri or Karrawirraparri (karra meaning redgum, wirra meaning forest and parri meaning river), having been officially dual-named in 2001.^[1][5] Another Kaurna name for the river was Tarndaparri (Kangaroo river).^[6] The river was thought to be a reflection of the Milky Way ("wodliparri"), and was the heartland of the Kaurna people, who lived along its length and around the tributary creeks.^[7]

At its 1836 exploration by William Light, an inland bend was chosen as the site of the Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide. The river was first named the Yatala by the initial exploration party, but later renamed to honour Robert Torrens senior, chairman of the board of Colonisation Commissioners for South Australia from 1834 to 1841 (when he was sacked). From March 1837 settlers camped in tents and makeshift huts along the west end of the River Torrens and freely used the river's resources. A Native Location was created on the north banks of the Torrens and indigenous labour was often used by the settlers for tasks such as hewing wood or delivering water.^[8] During the early years of settlement, the river acted as both the city's primary water source and main sewer, leading to outbreaks of typhoid.^[9]

Since European settlement the river has been a frequently touted tourist attraction. The river's long linear parks and a constructed lake in the lower stretch are iconic of the city. The river's flora and fauna have been both deliberately and accidentally impacted since settlement. In the 19th century, native forests were cleared, gravel removed for construction and many foreign species introduced. With construction of the linear parks, many species native to the river have been replanted, and introduced species have been controlled as weeds.

The river and its tributaries are highly variable in flow, and together drain an area of 508 square kilometres (196 sq mi). They range from sometimes raging torrents, damaging bridges and flooding city areas, to trickles and completely dry in summer. Winter and spring flooding has prompted the construction of flood reduction works. A constructed sea outlet, landscaped linear parks and three holding reservoirs contain peak flow.