Ross River Dam

The dam was constructed by Leighton Contractors[http://www.leighton.com.au/about_us/history/history.html Leighton Holdings history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211232850/http://www.leighton.com.au/about_us/history/history.html |date=11 December 2007 }} in 1971 for the purposes of flood mitigation and water storage. The dam was an attempt to address Townsville's dual water concerns--abundance and scarcity--and added to the city's long history of attempting to tame the natural environment.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-05 |title=The Competing Influences of Deluge and Drought in Queensland's Dry Tropics |url=https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/competing-influences-deluge-and-drought-queenslands-dry-tropics |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=Environment & Society Portal |language=en |archive-date=5 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205032108/https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/competing-influences-deluge-and-drought-queenslands-dry-tropics |url-status=live }}

In the 1980s, the second stage of the dam necessitated a deviation of the Flinders Highway and Mount Isa railway line (which previously ran straight north-south) to be further east. This was completed by 1986 and resulted in the closure of Toonpan and Barringha railway stations on the removed route; they were not re-established on new route.{{Cite web |title=Ross River Dam |url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/water-waste-and-environment/water-supply-and-dams/ross-river-dam |access-date=2024-02-08 |publisher=Townsville City Council}}{{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web |date=1942 |title=Mount Elliott (Special) |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-mt-elliott-special-1942/original |access-date=8 February 2024 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map}}{{Queensland Globe|access-date=8 February 2024}}

Following a 2007 upgrade of facilities, the dam has a capacity of {{convert|250000|ML}} and an earth rock embankment {{convert|8.67|km|mi}} in length and {{convert|34.4|m}} high. The reservoir has a catchment area of {{convert|750|km2}} with a controlled gated spillway. The reservoir has a current capacity of {{convert|233187|ML|impgal USgal}} of water;{{cite web|url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/water-waste-and-environment/water-supply-and-dams/dam-levels|title=Paluma and Ross River Dam Levels|publisher=Townsville City Council|work=Dam and Water Storage Levels|access-date=15 October 2015|archive-date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216015618/https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/water-waste-and-environment/water-supply-and-dams/dam-levels|url-status=live}} and can hold up to {{convert|803565|ML|impgal USgal}} of water in flood mitigation.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/TownsvilleLib/status/29669919293448193 |title=Townsville Library on Twitter |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=8 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408191101/https://twitter.com/TownsvilleLib/status/29669919293448193 |url-status=live }}{{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=Australian National Committee on Large Dams|year=2010|access-date=15 October 2015|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=live}}

When the dam gates open, water spills over into the Ross River. Visitors may view the dam from a viewing platform at Ross Park. The Ross Dam Pump Station supplies up to {{convert|232|ML}} of water to the Douglas Water Treatment Plant, where the water undergoes aeration, sedimentation, rapid sand filtration and chlorination treatment before being pumped to the reservoir where the water is distributed to Townsville.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

At the base of the dam and on the banks of the Ross River is Ross Park, part of Riverway, with facilities for picnics or barbecues, as well as public toilets at this location.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

• 2001 - a panel of experts in dam safety and construction undertook an investigation of the dam. Over two years, the panel conducted studies of the dam's compliance with world standards.
• 2003 - The report confirmed that upgrades were required and by late 2003 because the dam moved {{convert|10|cm}} a year. At that rate, the dam would have burst in a 10-year period, causing the whole suburb of Kelso to be inundated. The first stage of lowering the spillway by {{convert|3.5|m}} was underway, the lowering of the existing spillway has been done so the installing of dam gates to control the flow downstream and water storage levels can begin.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
• 2004 - A combined GHD-MWH team was appointed to design the remaining work and manage the project. The contracting strategy was the first application of the 'Early Tenderer Involvement' (ETI) procurement model, developed by consultants ITN.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
• 2005 - John Holland Group and Macmahon are awarded the construction contract.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
• 2006 - Construction commenced with Constructing sand filters and supporting earthfill, extra rockwork to the dam embankment and the contraction of the gates.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
• 2007 - Project completed late 2007.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

The spillway gates have increased the dam's capacity by around nine percent, which is about {{convert|21000|ML}} or four months extra supply of water. Three spillway gates span the {{convert|40|m|adj=on}} wide spillway. The upgrade was going to take until mid-2008 to complete unless rainfall delays construction, however it was completed ahead of time in late 2007. The cost was around {{AUD}}115 million.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

The dam's storage was temporarily reduced with the lowering of the spillway to make way for the new floodgates that have now been fitted.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

Water is supplied to surrounding areas by releasing water from the Burdekin Dam spillway into the Burdekin and Haughton Rivers. Weirs control the volume of water entering each river. The Haughton pumping station supplies water via a low pressure pipeline to Ross River Dam. The pipeline was built in 1988 by the Townsville Council. During the first decade the PVC sections of the pipeline repeatedly ruptured.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

{{stack|{{Portal|Queensland|Engineering}}}}

• List of dams and reservoirs in Queensland

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061118024535/http://www.nqwater.com.au/ NQ Water]
• {{cite web |url=https://www.dews.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/224596/townsville-rwssa.pdf |title=Regional Water Supply Security Assessment: Townsville |work=Department of Energy and Water Supply |publisher=Queensland Government |author1=Queensland Government |author2=Townsville City Council |date=October 2014 }}
• [http://data.dnrm.qld.gov.au/eap/ross-river-eap.pdf Ross River Emergency Action Plan (EAP)]
• [http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDQ65393/IDQ65393.532020.plt.shtml BOM Latest River Heights for Ross R at Ross River Dam]

{{WaterQueensland |state=autocollapse}}

Category:Reservoirs in Queensland

Category:Buildings and structures in Townsville

Category:Dams completed in 1971

Category:Dams in Queensland

Category:1971 establishments in Australia

Category:Townsville