Jounama Dam Explained

Jounama Dam
Location Map:New South Wales
Location Map Caption:Location of Jounama Dam in
New South Wales
Coordinates:-35.5628°N 148.3061°W
Country:Australia
Location:Snowy Mountains, New South Wales
Status:O
Opening:1968
Owner:Snowy Hydro
Dam Type:E
Dam Height:43.9m (144feet)
Dam Length:518.2m (1,700.1feet)
Dam Volume:554500m2
Dam Crosses:Tumut River
Spillway Count:1
Spillway Capacity:3965m3/s
Res Name:Jounama Pondage
Res Capacity Total:43542000m2
Res Catchment:1355km2
Res Surface:3804ha
Plant Operator:Snowy Hydro
Plant Commission:2010
Plant Type:Small
Plant Capacity:14.4MW

Jounama Dam is a major ungated rockfill embankment dam across the Tumut River in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The dam's main purpose is for the generation of hydro-power and is one of the sixteen major dams that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 and now run by Snowy Hydro.

The impounded reservoir is called the Jounama Pondage.

Location and features

Completed in 1968, Jounama Dam is a major dam, located approximately north by east of the town of Talbingo. The dam was constructed by Societe Dumez based on engineering plans developed under contract by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority. Construction of the dam flooded the historic valley and town of Talbingo.

The dam wall comprising of rock fill is high and long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 43542000m2 of water. The surface area of Jounama Pondage is and the catchment area is . The spillway is capable of discharging .[1] [2]

The Snowy Mountains Highway passes adjacent to the reservoir.

Power generation

A small hydroelectric power station was completed in 2010 and is attached to the diverted flow of the Tumut River below the Jounama Dam wall. It is claimed that the small hydro facility generates enough energy to power homes.[3]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Register of Large Dams in Australia. Excel (requires download). The Australian National Committee on Large Dams Incorporated. 2010. 9 May 2013. Dams information. 12 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131212120804/http://www.ancold.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Dams-Australia-2010-v1-for-website.xls. dead.
  2. Web site: Dams . Snowy Mountains Scheme . . 9 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130503080615/http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/energy/hydro/dams/ . 3 May 2013 .
  3. Web site: Jounama Small Hydro Power Station. Snowy Mountains Scheme. Snowy Hydro. 9 May 2013. https://archive.today/20130615101527/http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/energy/hydro/mini-hydro-developments/mini-hydro-jounama-small-hydro-power-station/. 15 June 2013. dead.