The Stephens Creek Dam is an earth-filled

embankment dam An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and ...

built on a rock foundation with an uncontrolled spillway across the Stephens Creek, located in the Far West region of

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. The principal purpose of the dam is to

supply Supply may refer to: *The amount of a resource that is available **Supply (economics), the amount of a product which is available to customers **Materiel, the goods and equipment for a military unit to fulfill its mission *Supply, as in confidenc ...

potable Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, a ...

water for the town of . The impounded

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 ...

is called Stephens Creek Reservoir.

Location and features

The dam was completed in 1892 by the Broken Hill Water Supply Company to provide a continuing water source for drought-ridden Broken Hill. The reservoir soon became inadequate and a further reservoir, Umberumberka, was built to add to the water supply. Stephens Creek Reservoir remains the primary water source for Broken Hill, a city of around people and is a popular picnic area. The height of the dam wall is , and in length. The earth-filled embankment wall is by volume. The uncontrolled spillway discharges overflow at the rate of . The reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of , over a surface area of , and drawn from 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 . The facility is owned and operated by

Essential Energy Essential Energy is a state-owned electricity infrastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks for much of New South Wales, covering 95 percent of the state geography. It also owns the reticulated w ...

, which, prior to 2004 was Australian Inland Energy and Water.

References

Dams in New South Wales Broken Hill, New South Wales Embankment dams Earth-filled dams Dams completed in 1892 {{FarWestNSW-geo-stub

Location and features

See also

References