Fairbairn Dam
| Fairbairn Dam | |
|---|---|
 Location of the dam wall in Queensland
|
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| Country | Australia |
| Location | southwest of Emerald, Central Queensland |
| Coordinates | 23°39′00″S 148°03′56″E / 23.65000°S 148.06556°ECoordinates: 23°39′00″S 148°03′56″E / 23.65000°S 148.06556°E |
| Purpose | Irrigation, water supply, flood mitigation |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1968 |
| Opening date | December 1972 |
| Operator(s) | SunWater |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Nogoa River |
| Height | 46 m (151 ft) |
| Length | 823 m (2,700 ft) |
| Dam volume | 5,249×103 m3 (185.4×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 15,580 m3/s (550,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Maraboon |
| Total capacity | 2,289,129 ML (5.03538×1011 imp gal; 6.04724×1011 US gal) |
| Active capacity | 1,301,000 ML (2.86×1011 imp gal; 3.44×1011 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 16,320 km2 (6,300 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 15,000 ha (37,000 acres) |
| Maximum water depth | 31.7 m (104 ft) |
| Normal elevation | 204 m (669 ft) AHD |
The Fairbairn Dam is an earthfill-filled embankment dam across the Nogoa River, located southwest of Emerald in Central Queensland, Australia. Constructed in 1972 for the primary purpose of irrigation, the impoundment created by the dam serves as one the major potable water supplies for the region and assists with some flood mitigation.Lake Maraboon with an active capacity of 1,301,000 ML (2.86×1011 imp gal; 3.44×1011 US gal) was formed by damming of the Nogoa River, and, in 2008, was Queensland's second largest dam. Maraboon is the Aboriginal for "where the black ducks fly".
Commenced in 1968, the dam was engineered by Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority and completed in December 1972 for the purposes of irrigation and water storage. Storage of water commenced in January 1972 and the dam filled and overflowed for the first time two years later. The dam wall consists of a 5,249 thousand cubic metres (185.4×106 cu ft) earthfill embankment 823 metres (2,700 ft) in length and 46 metres (151 ft) high. The reservoir has a catchment area of 16,320 square kilometres (6,300 sq mi) with an uncontrolled concrete spillway capable of discharging 15,580 cubic metres per second (550,000 cu ft/s). The reservoir has an active capacity of 1,301,000 ML (2.86×1011 imp gal; 3.44×1011 US gal) of water; When the dam spills over it flows into the Nogoa River.
About 300 irrigators are supplied with water for cotton, citrus and other horticulture operations. The dam is relatively shallow with large areas of standing timber. There are no boating restrictions and one concrete boat ramp.
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