Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia.
The Snowy River drains the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales. The main branch rises on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak.
The main headwaters, the Snowy, the Eucumbene River and the Crackenback River meet near Jindabyne and wind southwards through inaccessible country, eventually reaching the sea near Orbost, Victoria.
In days past, the Snowy had a huge flow from the spring snow-melt which was 'wasted' into the sea. In the 1950's, a network of dams was built to collect and divert most of the water of the Snowy through the mountains, to provide more water to the Murray River and Murrumbidgee River for irrigation. The water was also used to generate electricity. See Snowy Mountains Scheme.
The Snowy River is also a river in the South Island of New Zealand.
