Chichester Dam
{{Short description|Dam in Dungog, New South Wales, Australia}}
{{use Australian English|date=April 2013}}
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox dam
| name = Chichester Dam
| image = Chichester Dam - panoramio.jpg
| image_caption = Chichester Dam
| location_map = New South Wales
| location_map_caption = Location in New South Wales
| coordinates = {{coord|32|13|54|S|151|41|04|E|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}}
| country = Australia
| location = Dungog, New South Wales
| purpose = Water supply
| status = O
| construction_began = 1917
| opening = 1926
| cost = A£{{formatnum:1049000}}
| owner = Hunter Water Corporation
| dam_type = G
| dam_height = {{convert|43|m|abbr=on}}
| dam_length = {{convert|254|m|abbr=on}}
| dam_volume = {{convert|18.4|ML|abbr=on}}
| dam_crosses = Chichester River, Wangat River
| spillway_capacity = {{convert|3300|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| res_name = Lake Chichester
| res_capacity_total = {{convert|21500|ML|abbr=on}}
| res_catchment = {{convert|197|km2|abbr=on}}
| res_surface = {{convert|1.8|km2|abbr=on}}
| res_elevation = {{convert|156.2|m|abbr=on}} AHD
| res_max_length = {{convert|4.22|km|abbr=on}}
| res_max_width = {{convert|580|m|abbr=on}}
| plant_operator = Delta Electricity
| plant_commission = {{start date|2001|11}}
| plant_type = C
| plant_turbines = 1
| plant_capacity = {{convert|110|kW|abbr=on}}
| plant_annual_gen = {{convert|0.4|GWh|abbr=on}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.hunterwater.com.au/281.aspx|Chichester Dam at www.hunterwater.com.au}}
}}
Chichester Dam is a minor concrete gravity dam across the Chichester and Wangat rivers, upstream of Dungog, in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's main purpose is water supply for the Lower Hunter region. A mini hydro-electric power station operates at times of peak flow and is connected to the national grid. The impounded reservoir is Lake Chichester.
Location and features
The dam wall is {{convert|43|m}} high, {{convert|254|m}} long, and was constructed using a cyclopean system of interlocking concrete blocks and large boulders with a volume of {{convert|91|m3}}. The wall is anchored to the bedrock below it by 93 stressed tendons. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back {{convert|21500|ML}} of water at {{convert|156.2|m}} Australian Height Datum. The spillway is capable of discharging {{convert|3300|m3/s}}. The surface area of the reservoir is {{convert|1.8|km2}} and the catchment area, largely located within the Barrington Tops National Park, is {{convert|197|km2}}. The dam is connected to reservoirs in Maitland, Cessnock and Newcastle by an {{convert|80|km|adj=on}} gravitation main.{{cite web|url=http://www.hunterwater.com.au/281.aspx|title=Chichester Dam|publisher=Hunter Water Corporation|access-date=8 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127143059/http://www.hunterwater.com.au/281.aspx|archive-date=27 January 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ancold.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Dams-Australia-2010-v1-for-website.xls|format=Excel (requires download)|title=Register of Large Dams in Australia|publisher=The Australian National Committee on Large Dams Incorporated|year=2010|access-date=22 April 2013|work=Dams information|archive-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212120804/http://www.ancold.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Dams-Australia-2010-v1-for-website.xls|url-status=dead}}
=History=
Land for the water supply scheme was appropriated in the Gazette of 6 October 1916. To safeguard the purity of the water the populated part of the Wangat Valley, including the old goldmining town of Wangat, and the greater portion of the populated part of the Chichester Valley were resumed.{{cite web|url=http://www.hunterwater.com.au/About-Us/Our-Organisation/Our-History--Heritage/Timeline-Items/Chichester-Dam-Approved-by-State-Government.aspx|title=Chichester Dam Approved|year=1916|publisher=Hunter Water|access-date=14 April 2013}} The Act appropriated £A{{formatnum:1049000}} as the estimated cost of construction of the dam, with additional funds set aside for land resumption.{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/sessionalview/sessional/act/1916-20.pdf|title=Hunter Water Supply (Chichester Dam) Act|year=1916|work=NSW legislation|publisher=Government of New South Wales|access-date=14 April 2013}}
In 1965 the spillway was lowered by {{convert|2.75|m}} to increase flood capacity. In 1985 the dam was post tensioned with cables and the spillway was relocated to the centre of the dam and returned to its original height. In 1995 the seepage potential was reduced under the northern abutment and in 2003 an improved drainage system for the dam's foundations was installed and the left parapet wall was raised to prevent overtopping in a major flood.
Power generation
Following a report by the Health Rivers Commission, in 1998 the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Craig Knowles, announced that a small hydro-electric power station would be installed in the Chichester Dam in order to generate electricity, reduce greenhouse emissions and allow surplus power to be sold back to the grid.{{cite hansard|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19980602009|title=Legislative Assembly {{ndash}} Chichester Dam Electricity Generation|first=Craig|last=Knowles|author-link=Craig Knowles|date=2 June 1998|house=Parliament of New South Wales|access-date=21 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622030841/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19980602009|archive-date=22 June 2015}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622030841/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19980602009 |date=22 June 2015 }} Completed in 2001 and operated by Delta Electricity, the mini-power station generates up to {{convert|110|kW}} of electricity at times of peak flow; with an average annual generation of {{convert|0.4|GWh}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resourcecentre/casestudies/Hydro/ChichesterDam.html|title=Chichester Dam Mini-Hydro|work=Case studies: Hydro|publisher=Clean Energy Council|year=2013|access-date=14 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329044311/https://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resourcecentre/casestudies/Hydro/ChichesterDam.html|archive-date=29 March 2012}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|New South Wales|Water|Renewable energy}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/Hunter/maplg.htm|title=Hunter River catchment|type=map|work=Office of Environment and Heritage|publisher=Government of New South Wales}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.hunterwater.com.au/Resources/Documents/Diagrams/Chichester-Dam-Map.pdf|title=Chichester Dam: Public amentities (sic.) and access|publisher=Hunter Water Corporation}}
{{WaterNSW |state=autocollapse}}
{{energy in New South Wales |state=autocollapse}}
{{suburbs of Dungog Shire |state=autocollapse}}
{{hunter Region places and items of interest |state=autocollapse}}
Category:dams completed in 1926
Category:dams in New South Wales
Category:energy infrastructure completed in 2001