Paluma Dam is an

embankment dam An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface ...

across Swamp Creek, situated on the western slopes of the Paluma Range, north of

Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...

in Australia. The reservoir formed by Paluma Dam is known as Lake Paluma. Paluma Dam is managed by Townsville City Council.Water Supply: Paluma Dam
City of Townsville. Retrieved on 15 November 2021. The embankment is approximately long and has a long spillway. In addition to the main embankment, there are two saddle dams. The reservoir has a storage capacity of . The reservoir is surrounded by the Paluma Range National Park, but does not form a part of the park. Water decanted from the dam is piped to the

Crystal Creek Crystal Creek (also known as Saltwater Creek) is a creek in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It runs for 17.5 km, beginning just below Paluma, flowing through the township of Mutarnee and emptying into the Coral Sea T ...

catchment, on the eastern slopes of the Paluma Range. This water supplements natural flow in Crystal Creek, which is drawn from for supply of water to the city of Townsville. Maximum outflow from the dam is 43.2 ML/day. Paluma Dam was constructed between 1957 and 1958. The original storage capacity was 10,273 ML. This was increased to 11,496 ML in 1981 and then to 11,830 ML in 2020. These increases in capacity were achieved by adding flashboards to the spillway. Paluma Dam can be accessed via Paluma Dam Road. The lake and the surrounding national park are used for recreational activities such as camping, hiking, swimming and non-motorised boating.

References

External links

Lake Paluma – Townsville City Council

Paluma Range National Park
Reservoirs in Queensland Buildings and structures in Townsville Dams in Queensland {{Queensland-struct-stub