Rifle Creek Dam
| Rifle Creek Dam | |
|---|---|
The dam spillway in 1932 (Source: State Library of Queensland) | |
Rifle Creek Dam Location of the dam in Queensland | |
Interactive map of Rifle Creek Dam | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Mount Isa, North-western Queensland |
| Coordinates | 20°57′27″S 139°35′24″E / 20.9574°S 139.59°E |
| Purpose |
|
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1929 |
| Owner | Mount Isa Mines |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch dam |
| Impounds | Rifle Creek |
| Height (foundation) | 18 m (59 ft) |
| Length | 120 m (390 ft) |
| Dam volume | 6×103 m3 (210×103 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 144 m3/s (5,100 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 9,490 ML (7,690 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 88 km2 (34 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 1.5 km2 (0.58 sq mi) |
The Rifle Creek Dam is a concrete arch dam across the Rifle Creek, located approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) southeast of Mount Isa, in north-western Queensland, Australia. The dam is owned by Mount Isa Mines and serves as a back-up for the supply of industrial water for the Mount Isa mine.
Overview
Completed in 1929 to replace the earlier Experimental Dam – the first arch dam in Queensland that was completed in September 1925 – the Rifle Creek Dam is 18 metres (59 ft) high and 120 metres (390 ft) long. The resultant 9,490-megalitre (7,690 acre⋅ft) reservoir draw from a catchment area of 88 square kilometres (34 sq mi)[1]
When the dam was built, the capacity of the reservoir was 2,727 megalitres (600×106 imp gal) and its purpose was for the supply of potable water to the town of Mount Isa; as well as industrial use for the mine. The spillway was raised in 1953 to the current capacity. In 1958, Lake Moondarra replaced Rifle Creek Dam as Mount Isa's primary water supply. Rifle Creek Dam now serves as a backup water supply for Mt Isa Mines.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 288). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ Burton, Kim-Maree (21 October 2019). "History of Rifle Creek dam". The North West Star. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
External links
Media related to Rifle Creek Dam at Wikimedia Commons