Australia is an arid island where lacks of permanent water resources. In 1884, the New South Wales surveyor general, Mr P Adam, told a Royal Commission, “any permanent system of irrigation in the colony would have to be drawn from snow waters”.
Snowy Hydro scheme is an engineering wonder in the world and the largest project ever undertaken in Australia. The purpose of Snowy Hydro is to redirect the ocean flowing water of Great Dividing Range back to irrigate the inland and generate electricity, via 145 km tunnels, 80 kms aqueducts 16 major dams and 8 power stations.
Lake Eucumbene is the largest reservoir in the Snowy Hydro Scheme, storage water diverts through man made 22 kms Eucumbene-Tumut tunnel, empting into Murray Darling Basin. The township of Adaminaby inundated during dam construction, still visible on this aerial shoot.
Lake Jindabyne collects almost every drop from ocean flowing Snowy River, pumped back to man made Jindabyne-Island Bend tunnel and Snowy-Geehi tunnel in Great Dividing Range, then discharged to Murray River.
The over capacity of Lake Jindabyne.
Tantangara Reservoir, melt snow water stored, released to Murrumbidgee River, then flows to Murray River.
Cotter dam, the best man-made water falls in Australia, is also a good reflection of population growth in Canberra. Original built to18.66m in 1915, raised to 28.5m in 1951, 83m in 2013, now it is 125m in height.
Cotter lake water released to Cotter River, and to Murrumbidgee River, finally joins to Murray River.
Corin Dam.
Corin Dam and Bendora Dam are both built on Cotter River, water flows down to Cotter dam.
Tooma Dam Reservoir
Tooma Dam Reservoir, part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, water from Tooma Dam is transferred via the Tooma-Tumut Tunnel to Tumut Pond Reservoir, feeding the Tumut Power Stations, and Murray River.
Lake Eildon, storage discharges to Goulburn River then joints to Murray River.
Lake Eildon, is also a hiding gem for house boat holiday in Australia.
Lake Dartmouth in Victoria high country, water storage released to Mitta Mitta River, and meets Murray River in her last leg.
Dartmouth Dam is a large rock-fill embankment dam with an uncontrolled chute spillway across the Mitta Mitta, Gibbo and Dart rivers
Tumut Pondage was formed in 1958, when the Tumut River was dammed as part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme.
Tumut Pondage
Talbingo water reservoir
Talbingo Dam is the largest of the 16 dams in the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and is the perfect country escape, it is heaven for fishermen and those who love water sports. The dam is built on the Tumut River, water flows to Murray River.
Jounama Pondage and Blowering dam, Water storage flows to Murrumbidgee River then Murray River’
Blowering Dam is the site of the world record for the fastest speed of a water-borne vehicle is 511.11 kilometers per hour, set by Ken Warby in 1978.
Murray 1 power station and Murray 2 pondage.
Tumut 3 power station
Khancoban Dam is a major ungated earthfill embankment dam with a controlled spillway across the Swampy Plain River in the Snowy Mountains region
Benefits from Snowy Hydro project, Murray river regions get stable water flow, the regional agriculture flourishes to be Australian food bowl providing one-third of Australia’s food supply. This geographical area is called Murray Darling basin, covers more than one millions square kms among three states and one territory.
TO BE CONTINUED……………………………………………
National Geography has recommended 25 places in the world to be visited in 2025, Murray River is the only one on the list in Australia. As the 3rd longest navigable river in the world, Murray River flows 2500 kilometers through the nation’s heartland, Murray, is more than a river.