Upper Yarra Reservoir Explained

Upper Yarra Reservoir
Pushpin Map:Victoria
Location:Victoria
Coords:-37.6833°N 200°W
Type:reservoir
Basin Countries:Australia
Volume:200000ML

The Upper Yarra Reservoir is located east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, beyond Warburton within the locality of Reefton. Water from Upper Yarra Reservoir supplies towns in the upper Yarra Valley, and Silvan Reservoir, which transfers water to most parts of Melbourne.

The management of 157,000 hectares of Melbourne's forested water catchments of the Upper Yarra such as the Watts (Maroondah) were vested in the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) in 1891. In 1928, the Upper Yarra catchment was permanently added for water supply purposes.[1] [2]

Approval to construct Upper Yarra Reservoir was granted in the early 1940s but due to World War II work did not start until 1948.[3] [4] [5] When the Upper Yarra Reservoir was completed the total storage capacity of Melbourne's system was tripled to nearly 300,000 megalitres.

Upper Yarra Reservoir has a capacity of 200000ML and was completed in 1957,[6] initially for the purpose of preventing flooding downstream.

Upper Yarra Reservoir is also supplied by water transferred from the Thomson River Dam.[7]

As of January 2007, severe drought in south-eastern Australia had resulted in low water levels in the reservoir, which on 5 January 2007 was approximately half full. As of 22 July 2013, it contained 95,568 megalitres of water(47.6% full).[8] The recorded water storage level in the dam in 26 September 2021 was 186,060 megalitres, equivalent to being 92.8 per cent full.[9]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: 25 February 1928. UPPER YARRA WATERSHED.. 3. Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian. Victoria, Australia. 4 March 2017. National Library of Australia.
  2. Book: Moulds, F. R.. The Dynamic Forest – A History of Forestry and Forest Industries in Victoria. Lynedoch Publications. Richmond, Australia. 1991. 0646062654. 232.
  3. News: Our Water Supply . . 30,142 . Victoria, Australia . 6 December 1951 . 4 March 2017 . 2 . National Library of Australia., ...They planned to use the Upper Yarra catchment, but, suddenly the demands of War halted their plans...
  4. News: 10 April 1940. UPPER YARRA RESERVOIR. 2. The Argus. 29,214. Victoria, Australia. 4 March 2017. National Library of Australia.
  5. News: UPPER YARRA DAM PROJECT . . 26,495 . Victoria, Australia . 16 March 1940 . 4 March 2017 . 30 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: 17 January 1957. Board of Works £1½m. 5¼% loan. 10. The Argus. Victoria, Australia. 4 March 2017. National Library of Australia., ... the board would spend £3 million this financial year on the Upper Yarra dam....This would bring theselarge projects near to completion...
  7. Web site: Thomson Reservoir Melbourne Water . 2022-08-23 . www.melbournewater.com.au.
  8. https://www.melbournewater.com.au/whatwedo/supply-water/reservoirs/Pages/Upper-Yarra-Reservoir.aspx Melbourne Water – Upper Yarra Reservoir
  9. Web site: Water storage levels Melbourne Water. 2021-09-26. www.melbournewater.com.au.
  10. News: U.S. DAM EXPERT ARRIVES . . 32,422 . New South Wales, Australia . 26 November 1941 . 4 March 2017 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  11. Beverley F Ronalds, 'Ronalds, Albert Francis (Bert) (1913–1999)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 11 May 2022

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