The Koombooloomba Dam is a concrete

gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stro ...

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 ...

with a controlled spillway across the

Tully River The Tully River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia. Course and features The Tully River rises in the Cardwell Range, part of the Great Dividing Range on the northern boundary of the Kirrama State Forest. The river flows g ...

, located west of and south, southeast of in Far North Queensland, Australia. Built for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation, the dam creates 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 ...

, Lake Koombooloomba.

Location and features

The dam was constructed by the

Queensland Government The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended f ...

Co-ordinator-General's Department in 1960. The earth rock embankment dam wall is in length and high. The reservoir has a

catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

of with a controlled concrete spillway that releases up to . The reservoir has a surface area of with an average depth of , and has a maximum operating level of of water. The dam and power generation facilities are owned and operated by Cleanco Queensland.

Hydroelectric power facilities

Built in 1957 and most recently upgraded in 2008, the

underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground ...

Kareeya Hydro Power Station was the first hydroelectric

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 ...

constructed on the Tully River. An

intake tower An intake tower or outlet tower is a vertical tubular structure with one or more openings used for capturing water from reservoirs and conveying it further to a hydroelectric or water-treatment plant. Unlike spillways, intake towers are intended ...

is located in the Tully Falls Weira regulating pond for the power stationwhich directs water down a

tunnel A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...

to the

turbine A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used for generating ...

s below

Tully Falls The Tully Falls, a horsetail chute waterfall on the Tully River, is located in the UNESCO World Heritagelisted Wet Tropics in the Far North region of Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , ...

. Kareeya has a capacity of and generates up to annually. The Koombooloomba Hydro Power Station is a dam release point situated on Koombooloomba Dam. The power station was commissioned in 1999 and has one turbo generator with a capacity of that generates up to . Its location on Koombooloomba Dam in the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

listed Wet Tropics area finally put into use infrastructure established when the dam was constructed in 1960.

References

{{WaterQueensland , state=autocollapse Koombooloomba, Lake Buildings and structures in Far North Queensland Dams completed in 1960 Dams in Queensland Gravity dams 1960 establishments in Australia

Location and features

Hydroelectric power facilities

See also

References