Burdekin Dam

Burdekin Dam
280px Burdekin Dam, 2009
Location of the Burdekin Dam wall in Queensland
Official name	Burdekin Falls Dam
Country	Australia
Location	North Queensland
Coordinates
Purpose	Irrigation
Opening date	1987
Owner(s)	SunWater
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity dam
Impounds	Burdekin River
Height	55 m (180 ft)
Length	876 m (2,874 ft)
Dam volume	646×10^3 m3 (22.8×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways	1
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity	64,600 m3/s (2,280,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Dalrymple
Total capacity	1,860,000 ML (410×10^9 imp gal; 490×10^9 US gal)
Catchment area	114,220 km2 (44,100 sq mi)
Surface area	220 ha (540 acres)
Max. water depth	40 m (130 ft)
Normal elevation	154 m (505 ft)

The Burdekin Dam, officially the Burdekin Falls Dam, is a concrete gravity dam with an uncontrolled spillway across the Burdekin River, located south west of Ayr, and Home Hill in North Queensland, Australia. Built for the purpose of irrigation, the reservoir, called Lake Dalrymple, provides drinking water for the city of Townsville. Burdekin Dam is managed by SunWater. Water from the reservoir is also used to replenish downstream aquifers.

Location and features

The dam wall is 876 metres (2,874 ft) long and has a 504-metre (1,654 ft) spillway, and a drop of 37 metres (121 ft). The reservoir holds 1,860,000 megalitres (410×10^⁹ imp gal; 490×10^⁹ US gal) at full capacity. The design allows for future storage capacity increases and potential for hydro-electricity generation. Plans are in place to increase the safety of this dam in an extreme rainfall event by increasing the spillway capacity. This project is scheduled for completion over the next 5 to 20 years.

The catchment area for the dam extends north to the Seaview Range west of Ingham, south to the Drummond Range near Alpha through the Suttor and Belyando Rivers, southeast to the coastal ranges west of Mackay, and west beyond Charters Towers to the Lolworth, Montgomery and Stopem Blockem Ranges through the Clarke River.

History

Construction of the dam began in 1984. It was completed by Leighton Holdings in 1987 and is the largest dam in the state, with a capacity four times that of Sydney Harbour. Burdekin Dam filled after the wet season in 1988.

Irrigation

The Burdekin River Irrigation Area was granted approval in 1980. It is Queensland's largest land and water conservation scheme. In 2007, the scheme was supplying 103,000 ha of land located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) inland from Townsville with water to grow a range of crops including sugar cane, cotton and rice.

Proposed hydroelectricity

Stanwell Corporation has begun a feasibility study into a proposed 37 megawatts (50,000 hp) hydroelectric power station below the Burdekin Dam wall. It is proposed it would be capable of producing 125,000 megawatt-hours (450,000 GJ) annually, enough to power more than 9,500 homes each year.

Boating

There are no boating restrictions, with a single boat ramp located near the dam wall. Water in the dam is often muddied with unsettled sediment long after the rains have washed it into the lake. This not only makes angling difficult but also means boating can be hazardous at high speeds due to the presence of submerged rocks.

Fauna and flora

The dam has been stocked with sleepy cod, sooty grunter and barramundi. Numerous other species are present naturally, including forktail catfish, spangled perch, eel-tailed catfish, long tom, golden perch and archer fish. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam. Red-claw crayfish and freshwater crocodiles are also found in the dam.

See also

• List of dams and reservoirs in Queensland

External links

• Pictures- National Library of Australia
• More historical Photos from the NQ Dry Tropics
• Burdekin Dam Fishing Information & Map