Geehi Dam is a major ungated rockfill

embankment Embankment may refer to: Geology and geography * A levee, an artificial bank raised above the immediately surrounding land to redirect or prevent flooding by a river, lake or sea * Embankment (earthworks), a raised bank to carry a road, railwa ...

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

across the

Geehi River The Geehi River, a perennial river of the Murray catchment of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The Geehi River rises below Mount Jagungal, part of Strumbo R ...

in the

Snowy Mountains The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, being part of the continent's Great Dividing Range cordillera system ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

impounded by the dam is known as Geehi Reservoir.

History

The structure was completed by Thiess Brothers in 1966, and is one of the sixteen major dams that comprise the

Snowy Mountains Scheme The Snowy Mountains Scheme or Snowy scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia. The Scheme consists of sixteen major dams; nine power stations; two pumping stations; and of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts that ...

, a vast

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other Renewabl ...

and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 that is now run by

Snowy Hydro Snowy Hydro Limited is an electricity generation and retailing company in Australia that owns, manages, and maintains the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme which consists of nine hydro-electric power stations and sixteen large dams connecte ...

Location and features

The dam is located within what is now the Snowy Valleys

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

. It was constructed by Thiess Bros based on engineering plans developed under contract by the

Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority Snowy Hydro Limited is an electricity generation and retailing company in Australia that owns, manages, and maintains the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme which consists of nine hydro-electric power stations and sixteen large dams connecte ...

. The dam wall, comprising of rockfill with an earth core, is high and long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water. The surface area of Geehi Reservoir is and the catchment area is . The uncontrolled bell-mouth spillway has a diameter of and is capable of discharging up to .

Power generation

Water from Geehi Reservoir and Island Bend Pondage is carried via the Snowy-Geehi tunnel to the Murray 1

power station A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many p ...

, which is rated for a

hydraulic head Hydraulic head or piezometric head is a specific measurement of liquid pressure above a vertical datum., 410 pages. See pp. 43–44., 650 pages. See p. 22. It is usually measured as a liquid surface elevation, expressed in units of length, ...

of and has a total generating capacity of (a net generation of per annum).

References

External links

* {{Riverina , state=autocollapse Snowy Mountains Scheme Rock-filled dams Dams in New South Wales Dams completed in 1966 Kosciuszko National Park Murray-Darling basin

History

Location and features

Power generation

See also

References

External links