Prospect Reservoir
| Prospect Dam | |
|---|---|
Prospect Reservoir at sunset
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|
 Location of Prospect Reservoir in
New South Wales |
|
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Western Sydney, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Purpose | Potable water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1888 |
| Owner(s) | Sydney Catchment Authority |
| Operator(s) | Sydney Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Prospect Creek |
| Height | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Length | 2,225 m (7,300 ft) |
| Dam volume | 2,892×103 m3 (102.1×106 cu ft) |
| Spillways | 1 |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 230 m3/s (8,100 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Prospect Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 50,200 ML (1,770×106 cu ft) |
| Catchment area | 9.7 km2 (4 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 5.25 km2 (2 sq mi) |
| Max. water depth | 24 m (79 ft) |
| [1][2][3][4] | |
The Prospect Reservoir is a 50,200-megalitre (1,770×106 cu ft) potable water supply and storage reservoir created by the Prospect Dam,[5] across the Prospect Creek located in the Western Sydney suburb of Prospect, in New South Wales, Australia.
History
Shortly after 1808, William Lawson was appointed aide-de-camp to George Johnston and was granted 500 acres (2.0 km2) at Prospect, which he named Vereran Hall. He built a large mansion there in the 1820s. He died on the property on 16 June 1850 and the property was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Water Board. The house was demolished in 1929 and most of the property is submerged.[6][7]
The dam was the first earthfill embankment dam in Australia and was completed in 1888. At the time it was intended to deliver water from the Nepean River to the reservoir. In May 1940 the reservoir became a part of the Warragamba Emergency Scheme. Pipes were constructed to deliver water 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Warragamba.
Continuing use
Since the Prospect Water Filtration Plant was completed in 1996, untreated water is generally not drawn from Prospect reservoir any more. Instead, the water is piped to the filtration plant directly from Warragamba Dam. The reservoir remains a part of Sydney Water's storage network, however it is anticipated that it will only be utilised for water supply purposes on average of five days in any five-year period.[8] As the site attracts up to half a million visitors annually, recreational use of the site is carefully managed to ensure the water remains suitable for supplementing Sydney Water's requirements.
Public Access
The Prospect Reservoir is open to public during the week and weekend (but not on public holidays) from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM during daylight saving time and from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM during non daylight saving time.
See also
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Site of Veteran Hall, accessed 15 January 2015
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External links
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Aerial photograph, Looking W at Clunnies Ross Basin and Prospect Reservoir – from Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust website
- Tony Maston Photographs Gallery with a number of images relating to the reservoir dating from 1920.
