Bendora Dam

The Bendora Dam is a thin-wall, double curvature concrete arch dam across the upper reaches of the Cotter River, located within Namadgi National Park in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called the Bendora Reservoir which is a supply source of potable water for the city of Canberra and its environs.

Bendora Dam
Bendora Dam in spill, 2010
Location of the Bendora Dam in the ACT
CountryAustralia
LocationAustralian Capital Territory
Coordinates35.447°S 148.828°E / -35.447; 148.828
PurposePotable water supply
StatusOperational
Opening date1961 (1961)
Owner(s)ACTEW Corporation
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch dam
ImpoundsCotter River
Height47 m (154 ft)
Length174 m (571 ft)
Elevation at crest778 m (2,552 ft)
Dam volume30×10^3 m3 (1.1×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways1
Spillway typeUncontrolled
Spillway capacity1,590 m3/s (56,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
CreatesBendora Reservoir
Total capacity11,540 ML (2.54×109 imp gal; 3.05×109 US gal)
Catchment area290 ha (720 acres)
Surface area75 ha (190 acres)
Website
Bendora Dam at ACTEW Water

Location and features

Constructed by E S Clementson working from designs prepared by the Commonwealth Department of Works, the Bendora Dam was completed and opened in 1961 and was the first dam of its type built in Australia.[1] The concrete dam wall built on a rock foundation is 47.2 metres (155 ft) high and 174 metres (571 ft) long with a volume of 30 thousand cubic metres (1.1×10^6 cu ft). The wall impounds 11,540 megalitres (408×10^6 cu ft) of water held within the Bendora Reservoir, forming a surface area of approximately 75 hectares (190 acres) drawn from a catchment area of 290 hectares (720 acres).[2][3][4] The uncontrolled spillway is capable of discharging 1,590 cubic metres per second (56,000 cu ft/s) from the 75-hectare (190-acre) Bendora Reservoir,[2] with a high water level approximately 778 metres (2,552 ft) above sea level.[4]

Water from the Bendora, together with the Corin (further upstream), and the Cotter dams (further downstream) are pumped to the suburbs of Canberra via the Bendora Gravity Main.

See also

References
  1. Andrews, W. C, ed. (1990). Canberra's Engineering Heritage (2nd ed.). Canberra: Institution of Engineers. ISBN 0-85825-189-2.
  2. "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel (requires download)). Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  3. "Map of Bendora Dam, ACT". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  4. "Bendora Dam". ACTEW Water. ACTEW Corporation. 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.

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