Boondooma Dam

Boondooma Dam
Location Boondooma/Okeden, 50 km North-West of Wondai, Queensland
Coordinates 26°05′47″S 151°26′06″E / 26.0963°S 151.435°E / -26.0963; 151.435Coordinates: 26°05′47″S 151°26′06″E / 26.0963°S 151.435°E / -26.0963; 151.435
Type reservoir
Primary inflows Boyne River, Stuart River
Primary outflows Boyne River
Basin countries Australia
Surface area 18.15 km²
Average depth 11 m
Water volume 204,200 ML [1]
Surface elevation 280.4 m
References [1]

Boondooma Dam is a dam on the Boyne River on the boundary of Boondooma and Okeden in the South Burnett Region of Queensland, Australia. In 1983, the dam was constructed across the Boyne River below its confluence with the Stuart River.

It has a capacity of 204 200 ML under the 10 square kilometres (2,500 acres) of surface area and has an average depth of 11 metres (36 ft). The dam forms a narrow and deep lake, designed to avoid evaporation,[2] with one fork containing lots of standing timber and another having many submerged rocky outcrops.[3]

Water supply

It was built to supply water to the Tarong Power Station and as is the case at so many impoundments, takes its name from the original property in the area. The dam also supplies water to irrigate agricultural properties in the area.[2][3]

Typically, the dam supplies between 50 million and 80 million litres of water per day to Tarong Power Station.[4] The dam was connected to the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project to ensure water levels would not interfere with power generation in times of drought.

SunWater, the dam's managing authority, is undertaking a dam spillway capacity upgrade program to ensure the highest level of safety for dams under their jurisdiction is maintained. The spillway will be upgraded in the longer term.[5]

Recreation

Since March 2001, camping and recreational facilities at the dam have been managed by the Wondai Shire Council, and since council amalgamations, South Burnett Regional Council.[2] Self-contained cabins, caravan sites and camping are all available by the lake. There are also multiple picnic grounds for day-trippers. Angling, swimming, sailing and water skiing are all popular activities at Boondooma Dam.[2]

Fishing

The dam is stocked with bass, golden perch, silver perch and barramundi, while eel-tailed catfish, and bony bream are present naturally.[3] A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam.[6] In 1993 and 1994, more than 60 000 barramundi were released into the dam, thought the furthest south that the species could survive.[3] Limited numbers have been caught since, but greater success was achieved at locations closer to the coast of similar latitude.[3]

Boating

The dam has two boat ramps and a boating permit is not required. There are no boating restrictions on the dam, however a no fishing/boating zone applies around the dam wall.[3]

A view of Lake Boondooma

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Sunwater Current Water Storage Information
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Wondai Shire Council – Lake Boondooma Camping and Recreation Area". South Burnett Regional Council. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Harrison, Rod; Ernie James; Chris Sully; Bill Classon; Joy Eckermann (2008). Queensland Dams. Bayswater, Victoria: Australian Fishing Network. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-1-86513-134-4.
  4. ↑ Tuck Thompson (2007-02-08). "Two power stations in jeopardy". The Courier Mail. Queensland Newspapers. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  5. ↑ Spillway Capacity Upgrade Program
  6. ↑ Fishing in Queensland dams? You may need a permit. Archived August 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

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