Carcoar Dam is a minor ungated concrete
double parabolic arch dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
with an
uncontrolled overflow spillway across the
Belubula River
Belubula River, a perennial river that is part of the Lachlan catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the central west region of New South Wales, Australia.
Location and features
The river rises south of Vittoria, midway be ...
upstream of
Carcoar in the
central west region of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. The dam's purpose includes
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...
,
water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Th ...
, and
water conservation
Water conservation aims to sustainably manage the natural resource of fresh water, protect the hydrosphere, and meet current and future human demand. Water conservation makes it possible to avoid water scarcity. It covers all the policies, strateg ...
.
Location and features
Commenced in 1969 and completed in 1970, Carcoar Dam is a minor dam on the Belubula River, a tributary of the
Lachlan River
The Lachlan River (Wiradjuri: ''Kalari'', ''Galiyarr'') is an intermittent river that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, located in the Southern Tablelands, Central West, and Riverina regions of New Sou ...
, within the
Lachlan Valley, approximately north of the village of Carcoar and south of the town of
Blayney. Water from the dam is released directly into the Belubula River which is used by irrigators downstream of the dam, and for stock and domestic requirements along the Belubula River.
The dam wall height is and is long. The maximum water depth is and at 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water at
AHD. The surface area of the dam is and the catchment area is . The dam uses a free-flowing spillway which is capable of discharging .
The dam is unusual in that its wall is not only curved from side-to-side but also from top to bottom.
The dam is popular for water skiing, swimming, fishing, windsurfing and sailing. Camping, picnic and barbecue facilities are available. Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Silver Perch and Rainbow Trout are all stocked fish in Carcoar Dam with Redfin present.
Carcoar wetland
In the early 1990s, the
NSW Government
The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...
assisted to establish wetlands at Carcoar Dam in an effort to control
blue-green algae
Cyanobacteria ( ) are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" () refers to their bluish green (cyan) color, which forms the basis of cyanobacteria' ...
which had made the dam unusable for recreation and made the water discharged from the dam unusable, even for domestic animals. The purpose of the wetland was to act as a nutrient sink which could capture nutrients prior to them entering the reservoir.
Gallery
CarcoarDam2.jpg, Carcoar wetland, 2007.
Carcoar Dam.jpg, Carcoar Dam, with estimated capacity of , in 2010.
Carcoar Dam 06032017.jpg, Carcoar Dam.
See also
*
List of dams and reservoirs in New South Wales
References
External links
*
{{WaterNSW , state=autocollapse
Dams in New South Wales
Dams completed in 1970
Central West (New South Wales)
Arch dams