Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam

Bendora Dam in spill, 2010
Location of the Bendora Dam in the ACT
Country Australia
Location Australian Capital Territory
Coordinates 35°26′49″S 148°49′41″E / 35.447°S 148.828°E / -35.447; 148.828Coordinates: 35°26′49″S 148°49′41″E / 35.447°S 148.828°E / -35.447; 148.828
Purpose Potable water supply
Status Operational
Opening date 1961 (1961)
Owner(s) ACTEW Corporation
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Arch dam
Impounds Cotter River
Height 47 m (154 ft)
Length 174 m (571 ft)
Elevation at crest 778 m (2,552 ft)
Dam volume 30×10^3 m3 (1.1×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways 1
Spillway type Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity 1,590 m3/s (56,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates Bendora Reservoir
Total capacity 11,540 ML (2.54×109 imp gal; 3.05×109 US gal)
Catchment area 290 ha (720 acres)
Surface area 75 ha (190 acres)
Website
Bendora Dam at ACTEW Water

The Bendora Dam is a thin-wall, double curvature concrete arch dam across the upper reaches of the Cotter River, located within Namadgi National Park in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called the Bendora Reservoir which is a supply source of potable water for the city of Canberra and its environs.

Location and features

Constructed by E S Clementson working from designs prepared by the Commonwealth Department of Works, the Bendora Dam was completed and opened in 1961 and was the first dam of its type built in Australia.[1] The concrete dam wall built on a rock foundation is 47.2 metres (155 ft) high and 174 metres (571 ft) long with a volume of 30 thousand cubic metres (1.1×10^6 cu ft). The wall impounds 11,540 megalitres (408×10^6 cu ft) of water held within the Bendora Reservoir, forming a surface area of approximately 75 hectares (190 acres) drawn from a catchment area of 290 hectares (720 acres).[2][3][4] The uncontrolled spillway is capable of discharging 1,590 cubic metres per second (56,000 cu ft/s) from the 75-hectare (190-acre) Bendora Reservoir,[2] with a high water level approximately 778 metres (2,552 ft) above sea level.[4]

Water from the Bendora, together with the Corin (further upstream), and the Cotter dams (further downstream) are pumped to the suburbs of Canberra via the Bendora Gravity Main.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Andrews, W. C, ed. (1990). Canberra's Engineering Heritage (2nd ed.). Canberra: Institution of Engineers. ISBN 0-85825-189-2.
  2. 1 2 "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel (requires download)). Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "Map of Bendora Dam, ACT". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Bendora Dam". ACTEW Water. ACTEW Corporation. 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.

External links

Media related to Bendora Dam at Wikimedia Commons

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