Jindabyne Dam
Jindabyne Dam is a major ungated rockfill embankment dam across the Snowy River in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's main purpose is to redirect water from the Snowy River to the Murray, for the generation of hydro-power and irrigation. It is one of the 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.
Location and features
Completed in 1967, Jindabyne Dam is a major dam, located approximately south south-east of the relocated town of Jindabyne. The dam was constructed by a consortium of Utah-Brown and Sudamericana based on engineering plans developed under contract by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority. Construction of the dam flooded the settlement of Old Jindabyne that accommodated approximately 300 people. Parts of Old Jindabyne can be seen when the levels of Lake Jindabyne are low. The settlement of East Jindabyne is located above what was Old Jindabyne.The dam wall comprising of rockfill is high and long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water. The surface area of Lake Jindabyne is and the catchment area is. The spillway is capable of discharging.
Work to modify the dam spillway commenced in 1994 and was ongoing as at July 2009.
The dam has a 1.1MW hydro power generator that can be used during environmental releases into the Snowy River.