Atkinson Dam
Encyclopedia
Atkinson Dam was a natural lagoon
near Lowood
in Queensland
, prior to the construction of the dam wall in 1970. It has a surface area of 550 ha and holds some 30,500 ML of water for irrigation purposes. The reservoir is one of a number of small dams built in the Lockyer Valley. The primary inflow is Buaraba Creek, a tributary of Lockyer Creek.
The dam is connected to Seven Mile Lagoon via a 1.2 km (0.745647283979768 mi) channel. Facilities at the dam include two boat ramps, picnic tables and two caravan parks. A maximum a 15 boats are permitted on the lake at any one time. In mid 2006 the dam was empty due to drought
conditions in Australia.
of silver perch
, bass
, southern saratoga
and golden perch
has resulted in an excellent fishery, although the dry periods, high evaporation
rates and drawdowns for irrigation in summer, result in low water levels as well as oxygen depleted water which makes fishing much more difficult. Other fish that are present includes eel-tailed catfish
and spangled perch.
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
near Lowood
Lowood, Queensland
Lowood is a town in south east Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Brisbane River, 66 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane or 17 km birds line and 31 kilometres north of Ipswich...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, prior to the construction of the dam wall in 1970. It has a surface area of 550 ha and holds some 30,500 ML of water for irrigation purposes. The reservoir is one of a number of small dams built in the Lockyer Valley. The primary inflow is Buaraba Creek, a tributary of Lockyer Creek.
The dam is connected to Seven Mile Lagoon via a 1.2 km (0.745647283979768 mi) channel. Facilities at the dam include two boat ramps, picnic tables and two caravan parks. A maximum a 15 boats are permitted on the lake at any one time. In mid 2006 the dam was empty due to drought
Drought in Australia
Drought in Australia is defined as rainfall over a three month period being in the lowest decile of what has been recorded for that region in the past. This definition takes into account that drought is a relative term and rainfall deficiencies need to be compared to typical rainfall patterns...
conditions in Australia.
Fishing
Fish stockingFish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
of silver perch
Silver Perch
Silver perch is a medium sized freshwater fish endemic to the Murray-Darling river system in south-eastern Australia. The scientific name comes from an aboriginal name for the species recorded by Major Mitchell on his 1832 expedition. It is not a perch, being a grunter in the family Terapontidae...
, bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, southern saratoga
Southern saratoga
The southern saratoga is a species of fish in the Osteoglossidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Description:...
and golden perch
Golden perch
The golden perch, Macquaria ambigua, is an Australian native freshwater fish, primarily of the Murray-Darling river system. It is not a true perch of the genus Perca....
has resulted in an excellent fishery, although the dry periods, high evaporation
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
rates and drawdowns for irrigation in summer, result in low water levels as well as oxygen depleted water which makes fishing much more difficult. Other fish that are present includes eel-tailed catfish
Eel-tailed Catfish
The eel-tailed catfish, Tandanus tandanus, is a species of catfish of the family Plotosidae. This fish is also known as dewfish, freshwater catfish, jewfish, and tandan.-Distribution:...
and spangled perch.