Pulau River

The Pulau River (Indonesian: Sungai Pulau, Dutch: Eilandenrivier) is a major river in South Papua province of Indonesia, with a total length of 674 km (419 mi).^[2]

Pulau River Eilandenrivier
Location of river mouth
Native name	Sungai Pulau (Indonesian) Eilandenrivier (Dutch)
Location
Country	Indonesia
Province	South Papua
Regency	Asmat
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Jayawijaya Mountains, Highland Papua, Indonesia
• coordinates	4°38′11.688″S 140°7′47.208″E
• elevation	4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Mouth
• location	Arafura Sea
• coordinates	5°48′44.4204″S 138°9′40.2444″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	674 km (419 mi)[1]
Basin size	37,164 km2 (14,349 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• location	Eilanden Delta
• average	3,133 m3/s (110,600 cu ft/s)[1]
Basin features
Progression	Arafura Sea
River system	Eilanden River
Tributaries
• left	Wildeman, Kampung, Doyusi
• right	Weehuizen, Kolff, Brazza, Baliem, Urumbuwe

Name

It was previously known as the Eilanden River based on Dutch colonial expedition maps,^[3] and was still shown with this name on some government maps in the 2010s.^[4][5]

Geography

The Pulau River has its source in the Jayawijaya Mountains near Puncak Mandala, around 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in elevation. It flows south out of the mountains, and then follows a south-southwesterly course to the Arafura Sea on the Casuarina Coast.^[3] Important tributaries include the Baliem (formerly Vriendschaps), Wildeman, Kampung and Brazza.

Hydrology

The river flows in the southern area of Western New Guinea with predominantly a tropical rainforest climate (designated as Af in the Köppen-Geiger climate classification).^[6] The annual average temperature in the area is 22 °C (72 °F). The warmest month is January, when the average temperature is around 24 °C (75 °F), and the coldest is June, at 20 °C (68 °F).^[7] The average annual rainfall is 3,997–5,547 mm (157.4–218.4 in).^[1] The wettest month is May, with an average of 594 mm (23.4 in) rainfall, and the driest is July, with 384 mm (15.1 in) rainfall.^[8]

Discharge

Eilanden River discharge

Period	Average discharge	Ref.
Eilanden Delta 5°48′44.4204″S 138°9′40.2444″E
Eilanden with Lorentz at the Delta
	3,783.1 m3/s (133,600 cu ft/s)*	[9]
2002–2011	3,513 m3/s (124,100 cu ft/s)	[1]
2002–2018	107.72197 km3/a (3,413.503 m3/s)	[10]
Eilanden at the delta
2015–2019	2,084 m3/s (73,600 cu ft/s)	[11]
2003–2015	80.4 km3/a (2,550 m3/s)	[12]
2002–2011	3,133 m3/s (110,600 cu ft/s)	[1]

*Monthly flow (Q) m³/s:

Month	Q
JAN	3,294.5
FEB	3,812.8
MAR	3,816.3
APR	3,990.7
MAY	4,380.8
JUN	3,816
JUL	3,022.4
AUG	2,811.9
SEP	3,624
OCT	4,176.9
NOV	4,505.6
DEC	4,144.7
Avg.	3,783.1

^[9]

Tributaries

Left tributary	Right tributary	Length (km)	Basin size (km2)	Average discharge (m3/s)
Eilanden (Pulau)		674	37,164	3,133
	Urumbuwe	240	2,690.5	294.6
Doyusi		200	1,208.4	165.3
Kampung		290	2,133	264.1
	Baliem (Vriends-chaps)	414.2	12,974.1	791.3
Wildeman		330	3,412	327.1
	Brazza	270	2,113.8	120.6
	Kolff		2,755.9	199.1
Weehuizen (Boven Digoel)		110	577.6	68.9

^[13]

See also

• List of drainage basins of Indonesia
• List of rivers of Oceania
• List of rivers of Indonesia
• List of rivers of Western New Guinea
• Southern New Guinea freshwater swamp forests
• List of rivers by discharge