Split Rock Dam is a minor ungated concrete faced rock fill embankment dam with concrete chute spillway across the Manilla River upstream of Manilla in the north-western slopes region of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. The dam's purpose includes

flood mitigation In environmental engineering, the flood mitigation involves the management and control of flood water movement, such as redirecting flood run-off through the use of floodwalls and flood gates, rather than trying to prevent floods altogether. It a ...

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) 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 been dev ...

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. T ...

and conservation. The impounded

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...

is called Split Rock Reservoir.

Location and features

Commenced in 1984, completed in 1987, and upgraded in 2012, the Split Rock Dam is a minor dam on the Manilla River, located approximately upstream, north of Manilla and north of Tamworth, accessed by a turnoff from Fossickers Way. The dam was built by Abignano Pty Limited on behalf of the New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation to supply water for irrigation, flood mitigation and

potable water Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, ...

for towns in the Namoi Valley, including Manilla and

Barraba Barraba is a town in the New England region of northern New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Barraba Shire local government area, but most of this, including Barraba, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. O ...

. Together with Keepit Dam, Split Rock Dam supplies extensive irrigation water in the Namoi Valley. The dams also supply water for the town of

Walgett Walgett is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is near the junctions of the Barwon and Namoi Rivers and the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways. In 2016, Walgett had a population of 2,145. In th ...

and generates hydro-power for the national grid. The dam wall constructed with of concrete faced rockfill is high and long. The maximum water depth is and at 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water at AHD. The surface area of Split Rock Reservoir is and the catchment area is , mostly from the Upper Manilla and Ironbark Creeks plus small creeks and gullies, too, including Crow Mountain and Eumur Creeks. The concrete chute spillway is capable of discharging . An A$8.1 million upgrade of facilities was completed during 2012 and involved construction of a new, high, concrete

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

wall on the embankment. At the time of its initial construction in 1987, Split Rock Dam incorporated the latest dam technology with an

intake tower An intake tower or outlet tower is a vertical tubular structure with one or more openings used for capturing water from reservoirs and conveying it further to a hydroelectric or water-treatment plant. Unlike spillways, intake towers are intende ...

that can select water from any specified depth. This ensures that cold, de-oxygenated water from lower levels is mixed with water that contains more oxygen from the warmer layers above, before it leaves the storage. In 2013,

Tamworth Regional Council Tamworth Regional Council is a local government area in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The area under administration is located adjacent to the New England Highway and the Main North railway line. It was established in ...

announced a project to construct a pipeline from Split Rock Dam to Barraba to ensure local residents have access to a quality water supply would proceed. Additional project infrastructure includes a pumping station near the dam, a pressure tank, and upgrades to Barrabra water treatment plant. The dam is named after a fissure in a large rock near the dam site.

Recreation

The reservoir has recreational opportunities including camping areas and facilities for launching ski boats and sailing boats. There are toilet, barbecue, picnic, and camping facilities as well as a boat ramp. Boat access is restricted near the dam wall. The reservoir contains fish species such as Murray cod,

golden perch The golden perch (''Macquaria ambigua'') is a medium-sized, yellow or gold-coloured species of Australian freshwater fish found primarily in the Murray-Darling River system, though a subspecies is found in the Lake Eyre- Cooper Creek system ...

, silver perch, eel-tailed

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

and

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

. On the reservoir's northern shore is Glen Riddle Recreation Reserve, a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

with toilets, picnic and camping facilities.

References

External links

* {{WaterNSW , state=autocollapse Dams in New South Wales Dams completed in 1987 North West Slopes

Location and features

Recreation

See also

References

External links