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Darwin Dam

Darwin Dam
Darwin Dam, southern end of Lake Burbury, Tasmania, from the air
Location of the Darwin Dam in Tasmania
Country	Australia
Location	West Coast Tasmania
Coordinates	42°12′36″S 145°36′36″E / 42.21000°S 145.61000°E / -42.21000; 145.61000
Purpose	Power
Status	Operational
Opening date	1990 (1990)
Owner(s)	Hydro Tasmania
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment dam
Impounds	off stream
Height	20 metres (66 ft)
Length	700 metres (2,300 ft)
Dam volume	430×10^3 m3 (15×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways	0
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Burbury
Total capacity	1,081,420 ML (38,190×10^6 cu ft)
Active capacity	1,065,000 ML (37,600×10^6 cu ft)
Catchment area	559 km2 (216 sq mi)
Surface area	53,250×10^3 m2 (573.2×10^6 sq ft)
Website hydro.com.au/energy/our-power-stations/king-yolande

The Darwin Dam is an offstream earthfill embankment saddle dam without a spillway, located in Western Tasmania, Australia. The impounded reservoir, also formed by Crotty Dam, is called Lake Burbury.^[1]

The dam was constructed in 1990 by the Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) for the purpose of generating hydro-electric power via the John Butters Power Station.^[2] It had been known during construction as the Andrew Divide Dam.^[3]

Features and location[edit]

The Darwin Dam, together with the Crotty Dam, are two major dams that form the headwaters for the King River Hydroelectric Power Development. The dam is located at the southern end of Lake Burbury, and holds the water for the lake.

The Darwin Dam wall, constructed with 430 thousand cubic metres (15×10^⁶ cu ft) of earth core, is 20 metres (66 ft) high and 700 metres (2,300 ft) long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 1,081,420 megalitres (38,190×10^⁶ cu ft) of water. The surface area of Lake Burbury is 53,250 hectares (131,600 acres) and the catchment area is 559 square kilometres (216 sq mi). The dam wall does not have a spillway.^[4]

The dam draws its name from Mount Darwin, a peak located to the west of the dam wall. Both locations draw their names from the railway stopping place and the ghost town site of Darwin that was situated on the North Mount Lyell Railway between Gormanston and Kelly Basin. It inundates the former Kelly Basin Road which was the subsequent name for the railway line formation.

In the 1910s the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company had investigated and surveyed a site very close to this dam for a proposed scheme.

See also[edit]

Water portal

• List of dams in Tasmania

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell (6th ed.). Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7246-2265-8.
• Whitham, Charles (2003). Western Tasmania - A land of riches and beauty (Reprint 2003 ed.). Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.

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