Kinchant Dam

Kinchant Dam
The reservoir in 1980
Kinchant Dam
Location of the dam in Queensland
Interactive map of Kinchant Dam
CountryAustralia
LocationMackay Region, North Queensland
Coordinates21°12′40″S 148°53′49″E / 21.2112°S 148.897°E / -21.2112; 148.897
PurposeIrrigation
StatusOperational
Construction began1974
Opening date1986
OperatorSunWater
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment dam
Impounds
Height (foundation)22 m (72 ft)
Length5,100 m (16,700 ft)
Dam volume3,375×10^3 m3 (119.2×10^6 cu ft)
Spillway typeUncontrolled
Spillway capacity350 m3/s (12,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
CreatesLake Kinchant
Total capacity72,235 ML (58,562 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area30.84 km2 (11.91 sq mi)
Surface area920 ha (2,300 acres)
Maximum length5,325 m (17,470 ft)
Maximum water depth18.1 m (59 ft)
Normal elevation57.21 m (187.7 ft) AHD

The Kinchant Dam is an earth and rock-filled embankment dam across the north branch of Sandy Creek, located in the locality of Kinchant Dam in the Mackay Region of North Queensland, Australia.[1] Completed primarily in 1977, the dam created a 72,235-megalitre (2,551.0×10^6 cu ft) reservoir, called Lake Kinchant[2] for the purpose of irrigation.[3][4][5]

Overview

The dam was built on Sandy Creek to provide irrigation and town water. However most of the water in the lake does not come from Sandy Creek but is pumped from the Pioneer River at Mirani Weir into an 8-kilometre (5.0 mi) channel into the lake.[3]

The dam was built in stages that started in 1974 and were substantially completed in 1977. Further modifications were completed by SunWater in 1986.[3] The dam is named after local pioneer Frank Kinchant.

Fishing

A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kinchant Dam – dam wall in the Mackay Region (entry 49986)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Lake Kinchant – reservoir in Mackay Regional (entry 18171)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Kinchant Dam". Sunwater. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Sunwater Current Water Storage Information". Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
  5. ^ "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 261.). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  6. ^ Fishing in Queensland dams? You may need a permit. Archived 2007-08-29 at the Wayback Machine