Little Nerang Dam
| Little Nerang Dam | |
|---|---|
Construction of dam, in 1959 | |
Little Nerang Dam Location of the dam in Queensland | |
Interactive map of Little Nerang Dam | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | South East Queensland |
| Coordinates | 28°08′37″S 153°17′08″E / 28.143543°S 153.285445°E |
| Purpose | Potable water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1962 |
| Operator | SEQ Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam |
| Impounds | Little Nerang Creek |
| Height | 44 m (144 ft) |
| Length | 201 m (659 ft) |
| Dam volume | 68×103 m3 (2.4×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 570 m3/s (20,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 6,705 ML (5,436 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 35.2 km2 (13.6 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 49 ha (120 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 166 m (545 ft) AHD |
| Website seqwater.com.au | |
The Little Nerang Dam is a concrete gravity dam across the Little Nerang Creek, located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Gold Coast region.[1][2]
The impounded reservoir is also called Little Nerang Dam. The reservoir was closed to the public in 2013 due to safety concerns.[3]
Location and features
The dam is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) west of Tugun and 25 kilometres (16 mi) driving distance from Mudgeeraba, and is located directly upstream from the Hinze Dam. Prior to the completion of the Hinze Dam, the Little Nerang Creek Gravity Scheme supplied the water requirements of the Gold Coast area. Water flows by gravity pipeline to the Mudgeeraba Water Treatment Plant. The plant, completed in 1969, has the capacity to treat 110 megalitres (89 acre⋅ft) a day. The water then flows by gravity to the city's storage reservoirs.
Completed in 1962, the rock- and earth-fill structure is 44 metres (144 ft) high and 201 metres (659 ft) long. The 68-thousand-cubic-metre (2.4×106 cu ft) dam wall holds back the 8,390-megalitre (6,800 acre⋅ft) reservoir when at full capacity. From a catchment area of 35 square kilometres (14 sq mi) that includes the Springbrook Plateau, the dam creates an unnamed reservoir with a surface area of 50 hectares (120 acres). The un-gated spillway has a discharge capacity of 570 cubic metres per second (20,000 cu ft/s).[1]
Initially managed by Gold Coast Water, management of the dam was transferred to SEQ Water in July 2008.[4]
Recreational
Recreation is not permitted at Little Nerang Dam. As of 2017, access to Little Nerang Dam and Little Nerang Dam Road was restricted to SEQ Water employees and residents of the road, with a large security gate that blocked access.[3]
Gallery
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The dam wall and spillway, 1964
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Aerial view of the dam, 1964
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Spillway and dam wall, 1964
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Looking down on the picnic ground, carpark and dam wall, 1964
See also
References
- ^ a b "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 299). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ Harrison, Rod; James, Ernie; Sully, Chris; Classon, Bill; Eckermann, Joy (2008). Queensland Dams. Bayswater, Victoria: Australian Fishing Network. ISBN 978-1-86513-134-4.
- ^ a b "Little Nerang Dam's hidden beauty revealed". SEQ Water. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Little Nerang Dam". SEQ Water. 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
External links
- "Little Nerang Dam". Picture Australia. National Library of Australia.
- "Spillway photo". Flickr. 15 September 2007.