thumb|The flowing Todd River (Llhere Mparntwe) in 1946

The Todd River (Arrernte: Lhere Mparntwe / Lhere Imatukua / Artepe Ulpaye)

The Arrernte people know this river as Lhere Mparntwe () where it runs through Alice Springs and Lhere Imatukua () as a whole.

The Todd River's English name, and that of its tributary, the Charles River, were given by surveyor W. W. Mills, after Charles Todd, then South Australian Superintendent of Telegraphs and Postmaster General of South Australia, who was largely responsible for the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.

The Todd is in a very arid part of Australia and has zero to very low flow during 95% of the year.

Significance to Alice Springs

thumb|right|Todd River flooding in 1978

The Todd River is integral to the town of Alice Springs, which has its central business district built on the edge of the river. A large portion of the Alice Springs municipal area is situated on a flood plain of the Todd and Charles River.thumb|right|Todd River during a rare flood event, Wills Terrace Causeway, Alice Springs, 31 March 1988Heavy rainfalls in the catchment to the north of Alice Springs cause the river to start flowing through the town around 6 to 8 hours later. The river can change from its normal dry bed to a bank-to-bank flow within 15 minutes and, in some instances the Todd River will then break its banks and flood; this can cut off road and rail access to the town. One of these fatalities was in 2015 when a man died after riding a tube down the river.

The riverbed contains sites and trees sacred to the Arrente people, the Traditional Owners of Alice Springs (Mparntwe), and it has strong associations with Yeperenye (Caterpillar) Dreaming and with certain old red-river gums in the river representing Kwekatja; pre-initiated boys following the river north.

Recreation and social events

The Henley-on-Todd Regatta has been held in Alice Springs annually since 1961.

See also

  • List of rivers of Northern Territory

References

Further reading

  • Cultural Values Associated with Alice Springs water by Dick Kimber
  • Lira imarukua lhere mparntwe : the Todd River by Dick Kimber
  • Ausemade, Todd River Photos, 2006-2007 - Todd River - a rare occurrence
  • Todd River Images