Blue Mountains Dams

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The Blue Mountains Dams are a series of six dams in the Blue Mountains which supply water to the Blue Mountains and Sydney, Australia. The Dams are managed by the WaterNSW. Water in this scheme may be supplemented from the Fish River Scheme.

Contents

Cascade Dams

There are three dams built on the Cascade Creek, near Katoomba, known as Cascade numbers 1, 2 and 3. The Middle Dam was first, completed in 1908. It is 15 metres (49 ft) tall; 105 metres (344 ft) long; and holds 160 megalitres (35×10^6 imp gal; 42×10^6 US gal). The Lower Cascade Dam is an earthfill embankment dam with a central concrete core which was completed in 1926. It is 26 metres (85 ft) high; 128 metres (420 ft) long; and holds 320 megalitres (70×10^6 imp gal; 85×10^6 US gal). The Upper Cascade Dam is another earthfill embankment dam, built in 1938. It is 30 metres (98 ft) high; 247 metres (810 ft) long; and it holds 1,700 megalitres (370×10^6 imp gal; 450×10^6 US gal).

Middle Cascade Dam is a "Darley-Wade" dam named after the series of dams designed by L.A.B Wade, a prominent dam engineer of the era and CW Darley who designed the first constant radius thin-arch dam in Australia (Lithgow 1). It was originally constructed in 1908 as a buttress section before being raised to a constant radius arch dam to satisfy the increasing water demand of the area. Stage 1, known originally as "Katoomba Dam" was a curved buttress dam built to a height of 7.6m. The dam was built with every intent for future raising. The dam was raised by filling in the spaces of the buttresses with concrete. The right abutment consists of a gravity section to increase the effectiveness of the arch action and due to unsuitable foundations for an arch abutment.

Lake Medlow and Greaves Creek Dams

The heritage-listed Lake Medlow [1] and Greaves Creek Dams were built on the Adams and Greaves Creeks respectively. Lake Medlow Dam was the first concrete thin arch, high stress dam built in New South Wales, and is one of the thinnest dams in the world. It is 20 metres (66 ft) high; 38 metres (125 ft) long; and holds 300 megalitres (66×10^6 imp gal; 79×10^6 US gal). [2] Greaves Creek Dam is also a concrete arch dam, it was completed in 1942. It is 19 metres (62 ft) high; 67 metres (220 ft) long; and holds 310 megalitres (68×10^6 imp gal; 82×10^6 US gal). [3] Sydney Water decommissioned the Greaves Creek Treatment Plant.

Woodford Creek Dam

Woodford Creek Dam is a concrete arch dam which was built on the junction of Woodford Creek and Bulls Creek and completed in 1928. It was subsequently raised several times. It is 16 metres (52 ft) high and 144 metres (472 ft) long. Water is no longer drawn from Woodford Dam. In late 2009 Woodford Dam surrounds were opened up to walkers and mountain bikers. [4] Access to the dam wall and lake is still prohibited.

Originally envisaged to supply steam trains, Woodford Dam is one of six dams constructed to supply water to the Blue Mountains area. Two raisings have occurred with the latest in 1947. Due to the closure of the Linden Water filtration Plant in circa 2000, the storage is no longer used for water supply and the outlet raw water pipework has been disconnected and capped.

The first stage was constructed by NSW Railways between 1928 and 1929. Stage two raised the storage by 2.44m in 1935. The final third stage increased the storage by an additional 3.05m in 1947.

Although rare, the storage has been used for rural firefighting by helicopters.

The dam wall is an arch/gravity structure with keyed vertical contraction joints and copper waterstops. The foundations are excavated into the sandstone in a series of steps

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Dartmouth Dam Dam in Victoria

Dartmouth Dam is a large rock-fill embankment dam with an uncontrolled chute spillway across the Mitta Mitta, Gibbo, and Dart rivers, the Morass Creek and a number of small tributaries. The dam is located near Mount Bogong in the north-east of the Australian state of Victoria. The dam's purpose includes irrigation, the generation of hydro-electric power, water supply and conservation. The impounded reservoir is called Dartmouth Reservoir, sometimes called Lake Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Power Station, a hydro-electric power station that generates power to the national grid, is located near the dam wall.

Blowering Dam Dam in Snowy Mountains, New South Wales

The Blowering Dam is a major ungated rock fill with clay core embankment dam with concrete chute spillway impounding a reservoir under the same name. It is located on the Tumut River upstream of Tumut in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. Purposes for the dam include flood mitigation, hydro-power, irrigation, water supply and conservation. The dam is part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 and now run by Snowy Hydro.

Hinze Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The Hinze Dam is a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway across the Nerang River in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East, Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Gold Coast region. The impounded reservoir is called Advancetown Lake.

Upper Nepean Scheme

The Upper Nepean Scheme is a series of dams and weirs in the catchments of the Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean rivers of New South Wales, Australia. The scheme includes four dams and two weirs, and a gravity-fed canal system that feeds into a large storage reservoir to provide water to the Macarthur and Illawarra regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney. The four dams and associated infrastructure are individually listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

Maroon Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The Maroon Dam is a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway across the Burnett Creek that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for irrigation of the Scenic Rim Regional Council region. The impounded reservoir is also called Maroon Dam.

Cochrane Dam is a minor earthfill embankment dam with concrete spillway across Georges Creek, located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is to supply water for hydro-power at the downstream Brown Mountain Power Station and for irrigation purposes. The impounded reservoir is called Cochrane Lake.

North Pine Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The North Pine Dam is a mass concrete gravity dam with earth-fill embankments on abutments with a gated spillway across the North Pine River that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Moreton Bay region and Brisbane's northern suburbs. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Samsonvale.

Little Nerang Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The Little Nerang Dam is a concrete gravity dam with an un-gated spillway across the Little Nerang Creek that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Gold Coast region. The impounded reservoir is also called Little Nerang Dam. The dam was closed to the public in 2013 due to safety concerns.

William Hovell Dam Dam in Hume, Victoria

The William Hovell Dam is a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with a flip bucket chute spillway across the King River, located in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia. The purposes of the dam are for irrigation and the generation of hydroelectricity. The impounded reservoir is called Lake William Hovell

The Nillahcootie Dam, a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with a unique Gothic arch-shaped crest spillway across the Broken River that is located near Mansfield, in the Alpine region of Victoria, Australia. The dam's purpose is for the supply of potable water and for irrigation. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Nillahcootie.

Wappa Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The Wappa Dam is a mass concrete gravity arch dam with earth-fill abutments and an un-gated spillway across the South Maroochy River that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Sunshine Coast region. The impounded reservoir is also called Wappa Dam. The dam and most of the reservoir are within Kiamba with the most northerly part of the reservoir in Cooloolabin, both in the Sunshine Coast Region.

E.J. Beardmore Dam Dam in South West Queensland

The E.J. Beardmore Dam, an earth-fill embankment dam with a concrete gravity wall across the Balonne River, is located in South West Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for irrigation. The resultant reservoir is called Lake Kajarabie.

Lake Julius Body of water

Lake Julius was formed following the construction of Julius Dam in 1976 for irrigation and town water storage. The dam wall is located just below the junction of the Leichhardt River and Paroo Creek some 70 kilometres (43 mi) North East of Mount Isa. With a catchment area of 4,845 square kilometres it has a full supply capacity of 107,500 megalitres, a surface area of 1,255 hectares with an average depth of 8.9 metres (29 ft).

Lake Manchester Dam is a concrete gravity dam with an un-gated spillway across Cabbage Tree Creek. It is also known as Cabbage Tree Creek Dam. It is in the locality of Lake Manchester, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of Brisbane. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Manchester.

Wyaralong Dam Dam in South East Queensland

The Wyaralong Dam is a mass concrete gravity dam with an un-gated spillway across the Teviot Brook that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Scenic Rim region. The dam was initiated by the Queensland Government in 2006 as a result of the prolonged Millennium drought which saw the catchment areas of South East Queensland's dams receive record low rain. It was completed in 2011.

Cotter Dam Dam in Australian Capital Territory, Australia

The Cotter Dam is a concrete gravity and rockfill embankment dam across the Cotter River, located in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Both the dam and river are named after early settler in the area Garrett Cotter. The impounded Cotter Reservoir is a supply source of potable water for the city of Canberra and its environs.

Oberon Dam Dam in Central Tablelands, New South Wales

Oberon Dam or Fish River Dam is a major ungated concrete slab and buttress with earth embankment dam comprising a concrete ski jump chute spillway and fuse plug across the Fish River upstream of Oberon in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's purpose includes flood mitigation, industrial, and water supply. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Oberon.

Glenmaggie Dam Dam in Central Gippsland, Victoria

The Glenmaggie Dam is a concrete block foundation gravity dam with 14 radial arm gates across the Macalister River, located near Maffra, Central Gippsland, in the Australian state of Victoria. The dam's purpose includes irrigation, the generation of hydro-electric power, water supply and conservation. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Glenmaggie.

Manly Dam Dam

The Manly Dam is a heritage-listed dam near King Street, Manly Vale with a reservoir extending into Allambie Heights, both in the Northern Beaches Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The reservoir is located within the Manly Dam Reserve. The dam was designed by the NSW Department of Public Works and built in 1892 by the Department. The reservoir and dam is owned by Sydney Water, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The reservoir and dam was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 November 1999.

Medlow Dam Dam in City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales

Medlow Dam is a heritage-listed major gated concrete-walled arch dam across the Adams Creek in the Blue Mountains region, located at Beauchamp Road, Medlow Bath in the City of Blue Mountains local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The dam was designed and built in 1907 by the NSW Department of Public Works. The dam's purpose is primarily for the potable water supply of the upper Blue Mountains region. The impounded reservoir is called Medlow Bath Reservoir. The dam is also known as Medlow Bath Dam, Lake Medlow Dam, Adams Creek Dam and Medlow Bath Reservoir. The property is owned by Sydney Water, a state-owned corporation of the Government of New South Wales. The dam was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 November 1999.

References

  1. ↑ "Medlow Dam". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Office of Environment & Heritage. H01366. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. ↑ Sydney Catchment Authority. Lake Medlow Dam. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel (requires download)). Dams information. The Australian National Committee on Large Dams Incorporated. 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Parks and Reserves NSW- Dams". Archived from the original on 28 September 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2010.

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