western australia

ashburton river

No water in the Ashburton River

@JudyEv (382456)

Rockingham, Australia

November 4, 2020 5:39pm CST

The north of Western Australia has a sub-tropical climate. Summers are exceedingly hot. Thunderstorms and tropical cyclones can dump incredible amounts of rain in a short time. Catchment areas are also huge and dry river beds can become raging torrents in a very short time. The photo shows the dry river-bed of the Ashburton River. There is a 24-hour stopover on the bank of the river, equipped with toilets but not much else. It’s very pleasant there under the trees. In the wet season, the river would be a raging torrent. You can see the base of the substantial bridge in the centre of the photo. Some years, the water has lapped the bottom of the bridge.

17 people like this

17 responses

@wolfgirl569 (135966)

• Marion, Ohio

5 Nov 20

It looks like it would get very full.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

It does. It gets up to the bottom of the bridge.

2 people like this

@kaylachan (84867)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

5 Nov 20

It sucks that the weather is so dry the riverbed, but I bet it's nice during the rainy season.

2 people like this

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@kaylachan (84867)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

5 Nov 20

Hope you get some soon, then. @JudyEv

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

@kaylachan Thanks. It will be the wet season up there soon.

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

Yes, it would be very attractive once the rains come.

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@ptrikha_2 (49775)

• India

8 Nov 20

Is the river going totally dry normal for this time of the year, or is it due to overuse of the resources?

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@ptrikha_2 (49775)

• India

10 Nov 20

@JudyEv So the good water flow might be around June-July?

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@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Nov 20

It is normal for this area. Most of the river and creek beds are dry but once the rains come, they'll all be flowing again.

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@xFiacre (14797)

• Ireland

4 Nov 20

@judyev That landscape has stories to tell.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

Indeed it has. It's a tough country.

@jefferson126 (3670)

• Shenzhen, China

5 Nov 20

When the river can regain full of water,if torrent is rushing in the river,that must be awesome.magnificent scenery in your photo.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

Thanks. Yes, it would be awe-inspiring to watch the river in flood.

1 person likes this

Innovative Thinker Ideas

@GodServantme (1543)

•

6 Nov 20

Are you familiar with elnino phenomenon

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Nov 20

Yes, I've heard and read about it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Nov 20

@GodServantme Our winter is June to August but the north is more tropical so their rainy system is different.

Innovative Thinker Ideas

@GodServantme (1543)

•

7 Nov 20

@JudyEv extreme hot weather No rain I think December is rainy season in Australia

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@rebelann (117269)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Nov 20

That sure is a dry river bed. It reminds me of the area of the Rio Grande River north of us.

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@rebelann (117269)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Nov 20

I wouldn't want to be there during the wet either @JudyEv Here there is no consistent wet at all, every year is different and many times when we experience a drought it lasts for 7 to 10 years.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

I imagine America would have many such river-beds. I'd like to see them in flood but it's a bit risky travelling in those areas during the 'wet'.

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@FourWalls (86855)

• United States

5 Nov 20

I'll bet that IS a large, raging river in wet season!! There are videos on You Tube of areas like this around the world where the dry river beds become deep, angry, debris-filled rivers in a matter of moments after heavy rains.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

That's so true and it's amazing how quickly the rain all channels into a much smaller space and becomes a raging flood in no time.

1 person likes this

crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39503)

• United States

5 Nov 20

we've lots 'f dry river beds'n these parts. jest's this, when 't rains 'pstream schtuff can get ugly really quick. 'tis good they've 't least loos there fer folks. here yer lucky to find a trashcan firmly 'ttached to a pole 't pull-o'er places, lol. 'tis beautiful 'n eerie to see these dry, mesmerizin' when the waters come rushin', complete with lots 'f debris. i do hope folks heed the warnin's 'f such.

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39503)

• United States

5 Nov 20

@JudyEv they've such here, but oddly many pay no heed. lots 'f lives lost, particularly'n albuquerque . so, i'm glad that folks there pay mind to the warnin's.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

The area is much more deserted once the wet season arrives. Many of the dips in the road have warning signs and posts showing the depth of water.

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@rakski (156709)

• Philippines

5 Nov 20

oh wow, no water really

1 person likes this

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@rakski (156709)

• Philippines

5 Nov 20

@JudyEv oh yes for sure specially if the the rain in heavy and non stop

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@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

No water at the moment but it can very quickly become a raging flood.

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@LindaOHio (222726)

• United States

5 Nov 20

Wow! Talk about feast or famine...You wouldn't think that there could ever be that much water there.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

It's hard to imagine this as a raging river.

1 person likes this

@FayeHazel (40230)

• United States

5 Nov 20

Wow that is a lot of water to dry up, but I'm sure the climate there can do it

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

I have trouble imagining it in flood but I know it happens - and most years too.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Nov 20

@FayeHazel The landscape totally changes.

2 people like this

@FayeHazel (40230)

• United States

10 Nov 20

@JudyEv Wow, so drastic

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@jvicentevalera (13671)

• Santiago, Chile

5 Nov 20

Impressive! Hadn't you told us about its story, I would have thought it was dried permanently.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

It's incredible to think it can fill to the bottom of the bridge. I wouldn't have thought it possible.

1 person likes this

@jvicentevalera (13671)

• Santiago, Chile

8 Nov 20

@JudyEv me neither.

1 person likes this

@Cheyee (8352)

• Pakanbaru, Indonesia

5 Nov 20

I am thinking about animals in that area. I know they will adapt eventually, but it's still bad.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

There is water in other places and pools from time to time along the river bed.

1 person likes this

@rsa101 (41005)

• Philippines

5 Nov 20

Must be really hot over there that even rivers would turn that dry there. It is really hard to imagine that that place could turn into a raging river with the way it looks right now.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

I agree that it is really hard to imagine. The rivers dry up during the hot, dry summers but they also have a huge catchment area which means they flood once the rains come.

1 person likes this

@Letranknight2015 (52665)

• Philippines

5 Nov 20

As long as the bridge is intact. If the water does come back it would be hard to cross there with out the bridge.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

You would be taking your life in your hands to try crossing without a bridge.

@RasmaSandra (98106)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

5 Nov 20

Very interesting and will the river ever come back or is it done fore?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382456)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Nov 20

It recovers every wet season and becomes a raging torrent. The old bridge washed away a few years ago and the water still goes right up to the bottom of this one.

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