Coolmunda Dam

The Coolmunda Dam is an earth–fill embankment dam with a gated spillway across the Macintrye Brook, a tributary of the Dumaresq River, that is located on Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. The main purposes of the dam are for irrigation and potable water supply.[1][3] The impounded reservoir is called the Lake Coolmunda.[4]

Coolmunda Dam
The spillway and gates of Coolmunda Dam
Location of the Coolmunda Dam in Queensland
CountryAustralia
LocationCoolmunda, Goondiwindi Region
Coordinates28°25′51″S 151°13′16″E
Purpose
StatusOperational
Opening date
  • 1968 (1968)
Operator(s)SunWater
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment dam
ImpoundsMacintrye Brook
Height20 m (66 ft)[1]
Height (foundation)16.1 m (53 ft)[2]
Length2,286 m (7,500 ft)[1]
Dam volume690×10^3 m3 (24×10^6 cu ft)[1]
Spillway typeRadial gated[2]
Spillway capacity6,860 m3/s (242,000 cu ft/s)[1]
Reservoir
CreatesLake Coolmunda
Total capacity69,000 ML (15×10^9 imp gal; 18×10^9 US gal)[1][2]
Catchment area1,760 km2 (680 sq mi)[1][2]
Surface area1,645 ha (4,060 acres)[1][3]
Maximum length12 km (7.5 mi)
Maximum width5.9 km (3.7 mi)
Normal elevation314.7 m (1,032 ft) AHD [2]

Location and features

The dam is located approximately 13 km (8.1 mi) east of Inglewood, just off the Cunningham Highway. Two smaller creeks, Bracker Creek and Sandy Creek, also provide inflows to the reservoir.

Completed in 1968 the earth–fill dam structure is 20 metres (66 ft) high and 2,826 metres (9,272 ft) long. The 690-thousand-cubic-metre (24×10^6 cu ft) dam wall holds back the 69,000-megalitre (15×10^9 imp gal; 18×10^9 US gal) reservoir when at full capacity. From a catchment area of 1,760 square kilometres (680 sq mi), the dam creates Lake Coolmunda at an elevation of 314.7 metres (1,032 ft) above sea level, with a surface area of 1,645 hectares (4,060 acres) at a maximum depth of 16.1 metres (53 ft) when at full capacity. The controlled spillway with radial gates has a discharge capacity of 6,860 cubic metres per second (242,000 cu ft/s).[1] The dam is managed by SunWater.[2][3]

Recreational activities

There is one boat ramp, three picnic areas with good facilities as well as a caravan park.[3] Free bush camping by the lake was once permitted. In 2013, a new camping area was opened to the public.[5]

There are no boating restrictions in place.[3] Parts of the lake contain stretches of standing timber and along the northern bank there are submerged fence posts the demark a former creek bed.[3]

Eel-tailed catfish and spangled perch are found naturally in the lake's waters and the Lake Coolmunda Restocking Group Inc. stocks it with murray cod, silver perch and golden perch.[3] The introduced species european carp has also been found in the lake.[6] A stocked impoundment permit is required to fish in the dam.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel (requires download)). Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  2. "Coolmunda Dam" (PDF). Dams: owned or designed by SunWater (PDF). SunWater. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  3. Harrison, Rod; James, Ernie; Sully, Chris; Classon, Bill; Eckermann, Joy (2008). Queensland Dams. Bayswater, Victoria: Australian Fishing Network. pp. 86–87. ISBN 978-1-86513-134-4.
  4. "Lake Coolmunda (QLD)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  5. "New Lake Coolmunda Camping Area open". Goondiwindi Regional Council. 15 April 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  6. "Coolmunda Dam/Lake Coolmunda". Sweetwater Fishing Australia. Garry Fitzgerald. 2000. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  7. "Do I need a permit to go fishing in a dam?". Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Queensland Government. 5 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
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