Guthega Dam

Guthega Dam
Guthega dam in winter
Location of the Guthega Dam in New South Wales
Country	Australia
Location	Snowy Mountains, New South Wales
Coordinates	36°22′50″S 148°22′09″E / 36.38056°S 148.36917°E / -36.38056; 148.36917Coordinates: 36°22′50″S 148°22′09″E / 36.38056°S 148.36917°E / -36.38056; 148.36917
Status	Operational
Opening date	1955
Owner(s)	Snowy Hydro
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity dam
Impounds	Snowy River
Height	34 metres (112 ft)
Length	139 metres (456 ft)
Dam volume	44,100 cubic metres (1,560,000 cu ft)
Spillways	1
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity	1,416 cubic metres per second (50,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Guthega Pondage
Total capacity	1,604 megalitres (56.6×10^6 cu ft)
Catchment area	91 square kilometres (35 sq mi)
Surface area	19.4 hectares (48 acres)
Power station
Operator(s)	Snowy Hydro
Commission date	1955
Type	Conventional
Hydraulic head	246.9 metres (810 ft)
Turbines	2
Installed capacity	60 megawatts (80,000 hp)

Guthega Dam is concrete gravity dam with an uncontrolled spillway across the Snowy River in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's main purpose is for the storage of water used in the generation of hydro-power . It is the first to be completed of the sixteen major dams of 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.

The impounded reservoir is called Guthega Pondage.

Location and features

Guthega dam is one of the sixteen major dams of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It was completed in 1955 and is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of Perisher Valley, in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council. The dam was constructed by Semler Engineering based on engineering plans developed under contract by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority.^[1]

The dam wall, comprising 44,100 cubic metres (1,560,000 cu ft) of concrete, is 34 metres (112 ft) high and 139 metres (456 ft) long. The uncontrolled spillway is capable of discharging reservoir overflow at rates up to 1,416 cubic metres per second (50,000 cu ft/s). At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 1,604 megalitres (56.6×10^⁶ cu ft) of water with a surface area of 19.4 hectares (48 acres) The catchment area is 91 square kilometres (35 sq mi), including the Guthega river, Pounds creek, Farm creek and the upper reaches of the Snowy River.^[1][2]

Guthega dam: upstream face

Power generation

Approximately 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) downstream of the dam wall and using water from Guthega Pondage, is the above ground Guthega conventional hydroelectric power station. Commenced in 1951 and completed in 1955, the power station has two Francis turbines comprising English Electric generators, with a combined generating capacity of 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) of electricity; a net generation of 172 gigawatt-hours (620 TJ) per annum; and has 246.9 metres (810 ft) rated hydraulic head. Water flows through the turbines at the rate of 28.3 cubic metres per second (1,000 cu ft/s).^[3]

See also

• Kosciuszko National Park
• List of dams and reservoirs in New South Wales
• Snowy Hydro Limited
• Snowy Mountains Scheme
• Snowy Scheme Museum

References

External links

• Bevitt, R.; Erskine, W.; Gillespie, G.; Harriss, J.; Lake, P.; Miners, B.; Varley, I. (May 2009). "Expert panel environmental flow assessment of various rivers affected by the Snowy Mountains Scheme" (PDF). NSW Department of Water and Energy. ISBN 978-0-7347-5656-5. 

Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia
Townships and Villages	Adaminaby Berridale Bombala Bredbo Cooma Delegate Thredbo Village Tyrolean
Localities and rural places	Anglers Reach Arable Avonside Beloka Blue Cow Mountain Bobundara Braemar Bay Buckenderra Bullocks Flat Charlotte Pass Coolringdon Cootralantra Crackenback Dalgety Dry Plain East Jindabyne Eucumbene Cove Frying Pan Grosses Plain Guthega Hill Top Ingebirah Ironmungy Jimenbuen Jindabyne Kalkite Michelago Middlingbank Moonbah Myalla Nimmitabel Nimmo Numbla Vale Old Adaminaby Paupong Perisher Valley Pine Valley Providence Portal Rhine Falls Rocky Plain Shannons Flat Smiggin Holes Snowy Plain The Brothers Wambrook
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Rivers and other watercourses	Berrima Burrungubugge Cooma Back Eucumbene Goorudee Gungarlin Ingeegoodbee Jacobs Little Thredbo Mowamba Pinch Snowy River Thredbo
Dams and/or associated reservoirs	Eucumbene Guthega Island Bend Jindabyne Jounama Rainbow Lake Three Mile
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Attractions	Alpine Way Barry Way Big Trout Blue Lake Friday Flat Camp Kiandra Lake Albina Lake Cootapatamba Mount Kosciuszko Mount Townsend Perisher Ski Resort Selwyn Snowfields Skitube Alpine Railway Smiggin Holes Snowy Mountains Highway Snowy Scheme Museum
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