South Dandalup Dam

South Dandalup Dam
The dam wall from the reservoir side.
CountryAustralia
Coordinates32°38′50.05″S 116°2′19.07″E / 32.6472361°S 116.0386306°E / -32.6472361; 116.0386306
Map

South Dandalup Dam is a dam in Western Australia. It is located where the South Dandalup River flows out of Lake Banksiadale. The dam was built in 1971 in response to rapid population growth in Perth, Western Australia's capital city, and a resources boom in the Pilbara.[1][2][3]

The dam was officially opened in 1974.[4] With a reservoir capacity of 137.7 gigalitres (4.86 billion cubic feet), it is the second-largest dam providing water to Perth. It has a catchment area of 311 square kilometres (120 sq mi), a surface area of 21 square kilometres (8.1 sq mi) at full storage, and a reservoir length of 22 kilometres (14 mi).[5][6] The dam itself is an earthfilled embankment dam, 43 metres (141 ft) high and 268 metres (879 ft) wide.

Located only 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of the historic town of Dwellingup, and around 90 kilometres (56 mi) from Perth, it is a popular recreation area. Western Australia's Water Corporation manages the area, and has provided facilities including picnic areas with gas barbecues, and a number of walk trails.[7]

References

  1. ^ Stevenson, Kinder & Scott Corporate Photography (1971), South Dandalup Bridge under construction, retrieved 17 August 2022
  2. ^ Aerial Surveys Australia; HRRC (1973), South Dandalup Dam, 15 Aug. 1973, retrieved 17 August 2022
  3. ^ South Dandalup catchment, 1972, retrieved 17 August 2022
  4. ^ Western Australia. Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Board (1991), South Dandalup Dam : official opening by the Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. John Tonkin, M.L.A., February 8, 1974, Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage & Drainage Board], retrieved 17 August 2022
  5. ^ McCormick, J; Western Australia. Forests Department; Western Australia; Shea, S; Hatch, A (1976), Stream and groundwater salinity levels in the south Dandalup catchment of Western Australia, Forests Dept, retrieved 17 August 2022
  6. ^ Western Australia. Water Resources Division (2005), South Dandalup dam catchment area and South Dandalup pipehead dam catchment area drinking water source protection plan : integrated water supply system, Department of Environment, retrieved 17 August 2022
  7. ^ Calver, Michael; Wardell-Johnson, Grant (2017), "Protected areas, conservation and resource capacity: Historical lessons for conservation from Western Australia's South Dandalup Reserve", Australian Zoologist, 39 (2): 214–227, doi:10.7882/AZ.2015.027, ISSN 0067-2238