Location Mallee, Victoria Max. length 7 km (4.3 mi) Surface area 24 km (9.3 sq mi) Area 24 km² Length 7 km | Basin countries Australia Max. width 4 km (2.5 mi) Surface elevation 85 m Mean depth 3 m Width 4 km | |
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Type Freshwater / Swamp / Wetland Similar Reedy Lake, Terrick Terrick National, Cairn Curran Reservoir, Lake Connewarre, Goulburn Weir | ||
Kow swamp
The Kow Swamp, a freshwater lake and wetland, was formerly a swamp, that is now used for water storage. The lake is located in the Mallee region in north-central Victoria, Australia.
Contents
Map of Kow Swamp, Gunbower VIC 3566, Australia
Description
Kow Swamp lies in the Murray River valley, about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) west of the town of Gunbower and the Murray River, in the Shire of Campaspe. Its name comes from the Aboriginal word Ghow which refers to the white gypsum soil found at the swamp. It is a popular site for recreational fishing. Approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) in length and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) in width, the lake has a circumference of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi).
History
In the late 19th century Kow Swamp was managed by local irrigation trusts for off-river storage. In 1900 the capacity was increased to 51,730 megalitres (1.138×1010 imp gal; 1.367×1010 US gal).
Archaeology
Kow Swamp is an archaeological site which has produced human skeletal remains dating from the late Pleistocene, over 10,000 years ago.