Talbingo Dam

Talbingo Dam

Talbingo Dam, in 2005.
Location of the Talbingo Dam
in New South Wales
Country Australia
Location Snowy Mountains, New South Wales
Coordinates 35°36′54″S 148°18′04″E / 35.61500°S 148.30111°ECoordinates: 35°36′54″S 148°18′04″E / 35.61500°S 148.30111°E
Status Operational
Construction began 1968
Opening date 1971
Owner(s) Snowy Hydro
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Embankment dam
Impounds Tumut River
Height 162 metres (531 ft)
Length 701 metres (2,300 ft)
Dam volume 14.488 million cubic metres (511.6×106 cu ft)
Spillways 1
Spillway type Concrete chute
Spillway capacity 4,290 cubic metres per second (151,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates Talbingo Reservoir
Total capacity 921,400 megalitres (32,540×106 cu ft)
Catchment area 1,093 square kilometres (422 sq mi)
Surface area 1,935.5 hectares (4,783 acres)
Max. water depth 110 metres (360 ft)
Power station
Operator(s) Snowy Hydro
Commission date 1973
Type Pumped-storage
Hydraulic head 150.9 metres (495 ft)
Turbines 6
Installed capacity 1,500 megawatts (2,000,000 hp)
Website
Snowy Hydro at www.snowyhydro.com.au

Talbingo Dam is a major ungated rock fill with clay core embankment dam with concrete chute spillway across the Tumut River upstream of Talbingo in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's main purpose is for the generation of hydro-power and is the largest of sixteen major dams that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 and now run by Snowy Hydro. The impounded reservoir is called Talbingo Reservoir.

Location and features

Commenced in 1968 and completed in 1971, Talbingo Dam is a major dam on the Tumut River, within the Snowy Mountains, approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the village of Talbingo. The dam was constructed by Thiess Bros Pty Limited and, at the time, the project was the largest dam ever built in Australia.[1][2] The dam is the largest and last of the sixteen dams completed as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme.[3]

The dam wall comprising 14,488,000 cubic metres (511,600,000 cu ft) of rockfill with an upstream sloping silty clay core is 162 metres (531 ft) high and is 701 metres (2,300 ft) long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 36,400 megalitres (1,290×106 cu ft) of water at an average depth of 70 metres (230 ft). The surface area of Talbingo Reservoir is 1,935.5 hectares (4,783 acres) and the catchment area is 1,093 square kilometres (422 sq mi). The spillway is capable of discharging 4,290 cubic metres per second (151,000 cu ft/s).[4]

Power generation

Directly downstream of the dam wall is Tumut 3, a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station, that has six turbine generators, with a generating capacity of 1,500 megawatts (2,000,000 hp) of electricity; with a net generation of 812 gigawatt-hours (2,920 TJ) per annum. The power station has 150.9 metres (495 ft) rated hydraulic head. A pumping station at Tumut-3 draws water from Jounama Pondage at the rate of 297 cubic metres per second (10,500 cu ft/s), returning water to Talbingo Reservoir for later generation use in periods of peak-demand.[5] The water comes down the hills in six pressure pipe lines and production of electricity is maximised by pumps in the power station which pump water back up the hill to Talbingo Reservoir during off peak periods. The power generated at Tumut 3 serves both New South Wales and Victoria.[6]

Recreation

The reservoir is a popular area for fishing; inclusive of Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Perch, Macquarie Perch, Redfin, and Trout Cod. Power boating is permitted.[7]

Camping is permitted in Kosciuszko National Park.[7]

See also

References

  1. Watkins, Robert (2011). A face in the crowd (Ebook). USA: Xlibris Corporation. pp. 51–56. ISBN 978-1-4568-3808-9. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. Adikari, G. S. N.; Parkin, A. K. (1982). "Deformation behaviour of Talbingo Dam". International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics 6 (3): 353–382. doi:10.1002/nag.1610060307.
  3. Muirhead, K. J. (1981). "Seismicity induced by the filling of the Talbingo reservoir" (Extract). Journal of the Geological Society of Australia 28 (3-4). doi:10.1080/00167618108729168. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel (requires download)). Dams information. The Australian National Committee on Large Dams Incorporated. 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  5. "Tumut-3 Hydroelectric Power Station Australia". Global Energy Observatory. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  6. "Talbingo". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Talbingo Reservoir - Snowy Mountains. NSW". Sweetwater Fishing Australia. Garry Fitzgerald. 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.

External links