Avon River Water Levels

Avon/Swan River
Water Levels

NEW! Scroll down to Paddleability of the Avon Valley to see what the different water levels mean.

1   Walyunga Wooden Gauge & Long Pool, Ti-trees Wooden Gauge
Actual readings of wooden gauges sent in by paddlers

Please email the level on the upstream side of post (& the time & date ) if you're paddling at Walyunga or the ti-trees: rokhor@iinet.net.au

2 Links to Department of Water's Website

* Please note that from 18/7/08 DoW Walyunga gauge as well as Toodyay and Great Northern Highway are being updated three times daily, when possible, until further notice.

Great Northern Highway

Walyunga
Graph: DoW & Wooden Post Updated 31/7/07 Print this once and keep it by your computer.

Toodyay
Graph: DoW & Long Pool Post Updated 31/7/07 Print this once and keep it by your computer.

Northam Weir
York

Tributaries :
Karl's Ranch (Woorooloo Brook - enters the Swan at Walyunga - from the hills)
Yalliawirra (Brockman River - enters Avon 3km above Lookout - from Chittering Valley)
Frenches (Mortlock River North - drains from the north - Wongan Hills, Goomalling)
O'Driscoll's Farm (Mortlock River- drains the east)
Waterhatch Bridge (Dale River- drains the eastern side of the Darling Range - enters the Avon between York and Beverley)

3 Combined Plot of Avon River
Great Northern Highway, Walyunga, Toodyay, Northam and York on the one graph

4 Updated 25th July, 2007
Current water levels & aerial photos of York, Northam, Toodyay & Walyunga, Department of Water, updated several times daily during the lead up to the Avon Descent. Otherwise updated once daily for the rest of the year. Available all year round.
Go here

Paddleability of the Avon Valley
As indicated by the Department of Water's Walyunga Gauge (10.0 m = no flow)
Figures have been approximated for simplicity.

DoW Water Level (m) Walyunga, (616011) Wooden Post
Equivalent (m) Paddleability of the Avon Valley*

Below 10.35 Below 0.3 Too much trouble to paddle.

10.35- 10.8 0.3 - 0.6 Paddleable, but very slow and very rocky. Okay for my plastic for short sections only as I would never like to get caught on the river after dark.

10.8- 11.15 0.6 -0.8 More rocks covered, and it's not too difficult to do a full valley trip in the short daylight hours, but will only use my fragile boat (carbon-kevlar) on a section of river I know well, eg., from Lookout downstream.

11.15 - 12.2 0.8 - 1.5 Good level; all the main rocks are covered and the stoppers are not too daunting! I like this level. The river starts to change character towards the upper limit, around 11.9m (1.3m) eg., The Washing Machine at Emu Falls becomes an easily paddleable V-chute rather than a rocky drop with a big stopper.

Above 12.2 Above 1.5 Flood level: the river has an entirely different character. Many rapids are washed out; huge standing waves and stoppers develop elsewhere (eg., upper Syd's Rapid). It's a fast trip, though not easy, as the huge boils make paddling hard work without a rudder.

*Views expressed are those of the author, a fairly conservative female paddler using either a plastic slalom or kevlar DR boat.

Paddling Sections of the Avon Valley
Distances are approximate. Public access is limited to these places, all on the Perth side of the river. The railway maintenance road is closed to the public, but if you lose your boat and/or your paddle walk out on it. Mobile phones do not work in the valley but may from the top of the hills.

Posselt's Ford to the ford below Emu Falls 7km Easy access to the river at Posselt's but a long walk over the railway line and up the hill to the car park at Emu's. Good to know for emergency.

The ford below Emu Falls to Lookout (end of rapid) 21km A long walk down the hill and over the railway line. (Is it better to just paddle from Posselt's?) Then a very difficult walk up the hill at Lookout. Not recommended except in emergency.

Lookout to Walyunga, lower car park 6km The walk down the hill at Lookout is also difficult, but plenty of paddlers do it for this best section of the river. Easy access at Walyunga. Plan your trip to finish and leave Walyunga before 5pm as the gates are shut then - promptly.

Walyunga, top car park, to end of Bell's Rapid 6km A great section to introduce new paddlers to rapids or to get used to your new boat in white water. Easy access at both ends.

> Avon Descent       > Canoeing in Western Australia   > River Levels Index

The contents of this site are copyright© 1997 - 08, Robyn Khorshid. All Rights Reserved.

DoW Water Level (m) Walyunga, (616011)	Wooden Post Equivalent (m)	Paddleability of the Avon Valley*
Below 10.35	Below 0.3	Too much trouble to paddle.
10.35- 10.8	0.3 - 0.6	Paddleable, but very slow and very rocky. Okay for my plastic for short sections only as I would never like to get caught on the river after dark.
10.8- 11.15	0.6 -0.8	More rocks covered, and it's not too difficult to do a full valley trip in the short daylight hours, but will only use my fragile boat (carbon-kevlar) on a section of river I know well, eg., from Lookout downstream.
11.15 - 12.2	0.8 - 1.5	Good level; all the main rocks are covered and the stoppers are not too daunting! I like this level. The river starts to change character towards the upper limit, around 11.9m (1.3m) eg., The Washing Machine at Emu Falls becomes an easily paddleable V-chute rather than a rocky drop with a big stopper.
Above 12.2	Above 1.5	Flood level: the river has an entirely different character. Many rapids are washed out; huge standing waves and stoppers develop elsewhere (eg., upper Syd's Rapid). It's a fast trip, though not easy, as the huge boils make paddling hard work without a rudder.

Posselt's Ford to the ford below Emu Falls	7km	Easy access to the river at Posselt's but a long walk over the railway line and up the hill to the car park at Emu's. Good to know for emergency.
The ford below Emu Falls to Lookout (end of rapid)	21km	A long walk down the hill and over the railway line. (Is it better to just paddle from Posselt's?) Then a very difficult walk up the hill at Lookout. Not recommended except in emergency.
Lookout to Walyunga, lower car park	6km	The walk down the hill at Lookout is also difficult, but plenty of paddlers do it for this best section of the river. Easy access at Walyunga. Plan your trip to finish and leave Walyunga before 5pm as the gates are shut then - promptly.
Walyunga, top car park, to end of Bell's Rapid	6km	A great section to introduce new paddlers to rapids or to get used to your new boat in white water. Easy access at both ends.