The Sophia River, part of the

Pieman River The Pieman River is a major perennial river located in the west coast region of Tasmania, Australia. Course and features Formed by the confluence of the Mackintosh River and Murchison River, the Pieman River rises in what is now known as La ...

catchment, is a

perennial river A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...

located in the West Coast region of

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, Australia.

Course and features

The Sophie River rises below Sophie Peak, part of the

West Coast Range The West Coast Range is a mountain range located in the West Coast, Tasmania, West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The range lies to the west and north of the main parts of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. The range has h ...

within the Granite Tor Conservation Area. The river flows generally west by north and reaches its

confluence In geography, a confluence (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel (geography), channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main ...

with the

Mackintosh River The Mackintosh River, part of the Pieman River catchment, is a major perennial river located in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. The river was named in November 1828 by Henry Hellyer, a surveyor of the Van Diemans Land Company, in ...

within

Lake Mackintosh Lake Mackintosh is a reservoir with a surface area of that forms part of the Pieman power development running north–south past Mount Farrell, adjacent to the town of Tullah in Tasmania. Features Fed by the damming of the Mackintosh, Sophia ...

. The river descends over its

course Course may refer to: Directions or navigation * Course (navigation), the path of travel * Course (orienteering), a series of control points visited by orienteers during a competition, marked with red/white flags in the terrain, and corresponding ...

. Lake Mackintosh and several adjoining reservoirs form part of the

Pieman River Power Development Pieman River Power Development was a major 1970s and 1980s hydroelectric development of the Pieman River and its tributaries on the West Coast, Tasmania, west coast of Tasmania. Development The ''Pieman River Power Development'' was approved by ...

scheme and some of the flow of the Sophie River supplies the

Mackintosh Power Station The Mackintosh Power Station is a conventional hydroelectric power station located in Western Tasmania, Australia. Technical details Part of the Pieman River scheme that comprises four hydroelectric power stations, the Mackintosh Power Station ...

for the generation of

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

. The Sophia Tunnel feeder from Murchison Dam has its outlet near Sophia River. The Sophia Adit, a small tunnel for maintaining the Sophia Tunnel, is located adjacent to the river.

References

Rivers of Tasmania West Coast Range {{Tasmania-river-stub