Darling

River in southeast Australia, a tributary of the River Murray; length 2,736 km/1,700 mi. The Darling is formed about 40 km/25 mi northeast of Bourke, at the union of the Culgoa and Bogan rivers (which rise in central Queensland to the west of the Great Dividing range); it flows southwest before joining the Murray at Wentworth. Its waters are conserved in Menindee Lake (155 sq km/60 sq mi) and others nearby. The river is usually navigable as far as Bourke during August to March.

The name comes from Sir Ralph Darling (1775-1858), governor of New South Wales 1825-31. Together with Murray, Darling provides 40% of the country's agricultural wealth.

Environmental concern An Australian government study found, in November 1999, that some of Australia's major rivers, including the Darling, are likely to be poisonous to humans and crops within 50 years because of high levels of salt. The salinity problem is due to the clearance of native vegetation and the widespread use of irrigation, which have led to a rise in the water table; this in turn causes naturally occurring salt in the subsoil to rise to the surface, contaminating rivers and topsoil.