| Darwin River Dam | |
|---|---|
 The dam wall and pump, in April 2004 | |
  Darwin River Dam Location of the dam in the Northern Territory | |
 Interactive map of Darwin River Dam | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Darwin River, Northern Territory[1] |
| Coordinates | 12°49′47″S 130°58′19″E / 12.829858°S 130.971923°E / -12.829858; 130.971923 |
| Purpose | Water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 29 June 1972 |
| Construction cost | A$9 million |
| Built by | Macmahon Constructions |
| Operator | PowerWater |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Darwin River |
| Height (foundation) | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Length | 560 m (1,840 ft) |
| Dam volume | 285×10 |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 2,080 m3/s (73,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 265,500 ML (215,200 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 205 km2 (79 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 4,000 ha (9,900 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 42 m (138 ft) AHD |
The Darwin River Dam is an earth- and rock-filled embankment dam across the Darwin River, located in the eponymous settlement, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Completed in 1972, the dam was built to supply potable water for the city of Darwin.
Overview
The earth and rock-filled dam wall is 27 metres (89 ft) high and 560 metres (1,840 ft) long. At full capacity, the resultant reservoir can hold 265,500 megalitres (215,200 acre⋅ft), covering a surface area of 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) that is drawn from a catchment area of 205 square kilometres (79 sq mi).[2] The reservoir is eleven times bigger than the Manton Dam.[3]
The dam relies on the annual wet season to be replenished. It is ungated with no spillway regulation, and toward the end of the wet season the dam can overflow. Most years spilling occurs and is considered normal. Depending on the amount of rainfall, this overflow can last from days to weeks.[4]
The dam was officially opened by Prime Minister William McMahon on 29 June 1972, and the construction cost was A$9 million.[3]
The water in the Darwin River Dam reservoir is considered to be one of the most pristine on Earth. In order to preserve this quality, the catchment and reservoir policy prohibits recreational use with substantial penalties imposed for trespassing. The reservoir is free of Cabomba, an aquatic weed genus that can affect water quality.[5]
See also
References
- "Place Names Register Extract for "Darwin River Dam" (Reservoir)". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 143). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- "Darwin Water Supply". Department of Land Resource Management, Northern Territory Government. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015.
- "Darwin River Dam Levels". Power and Water Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- "The facts Darwin River Dam - A pristine environment - July 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
External links
Media related to Darwin River Dam at Wikimedia Commons- Information about current water levels in the Darwin River Dam catchment
