Warragamba Dam
| Warragamba Dam | |
|---|---|
Warragamba Dam wall
|
|
 Location of the Warragamba Dam
in New South Wales |
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| Country | Australia |
| Location | Wallacia, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 33°52′59″S 150°35′44″E / 33.88306°S 150.59556°ECoordinates: 33°52′59″S 150°35′44″E / 33.88306°S 150.59556°E |
| Purpose | Potable water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1948 |
| Opening date | 14th October 1960 |
| Owner(s) | Sydney Catchment Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam |
| Impounds | Warragamba River |
| Height | 142 m (466 ft) |
| Length | 351 m (1,152 ft) |
| Width (base) | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Dam volume | 3,000,000 tonnes |
| Spillways | Two |
| Spillway type | Controlled chute spillways with five crest gates and a central drum; automatic operation |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Burragorang |
| Total capacity | 2,031 GL (4.47×1011 imp gal; 5.37×1011 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 9,051 km2 (3,495 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 75 km2 (29 sq mi) |
| Maximum length | 52 km (32 mi) |
| Maximum water depth | 105 m (344 ft) |
| Normal elevation | 180 m (590 ft) |
| Power station | |
| Operator(s) | Eraring Energy |
| Commission date | 1959 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Turbines | 1 |
| Installed capacity | 50 MW |
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Website Warragamba Dam at Sydney Catchment Authority |
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Warragamba Dam, a concrete gravity dam, creates Lake Burragorang, the primary reservoir for water supply for the Australian city of Sydney, New South Wales.
The dam impounds the Coxs, Kowmung, Nattai, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, and Warragamba rivers, within the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment; and the dam wall is located approximately 65 kilometres (40 mi) to the southwest of Sydney central business district, near the town of Wallacia. Constructed between 1948 and 1960, the dam created capacity for a reservoir of 2,031 gigalitres (4.47×1011 imp gal; 5.37×1011 US gal) and is fed by a catchment area of 9,051 square kilometres (3,495 sq mi). The surface area of the lake covers 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi) of the now flooded Burragorang Valley. Enhancements to the dam were completed in 2009, including the addition of an auxiliary spillway to manage extreme flood events.
A small hydroelectric power station is incorporated into the design of the dam and may operate at times of peak discharge; but has rarely generated power in recent years.
In early March 2012, the dam spilled for the first time in fourteen years, as a result of heavy rainfall in the catchment during February 2012. This spill followed a period of prolonged drought which saw the dam fall to historic lows of below 33 percent in 2007.
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Wikipedia