Bill Gunn Dam
Encyclopedia
Bill Gunn Dam, 1.5 km west of the town of Laidley
in South East Queensland
, was developed to increase the capacity of the existing Lake Dyer, a natural lake adjacent to Laidley Creek, a tributary of Lockyer Creek. The dam was named after the Australian politician Bill Gunn and is managed by SunWater
.
The 1170 m (3,838.6 ft) long earthfill structure has a maximum height of 12 m (39.4 ft) and an overflow spillway
which diverts excess water into Laidley Creek. The dam has a storage capacity of 6950 ML and a maximum surface area of 108 ha.
Water from the dam is used for irrigation, in the densely cropped Lockyer Valley. Bill Gunn Dam suffers from high drawdowns and summer evaporation which together with phosphate fertilizer creates significant blue green algae problems. In November 2005, during drought
conditions in the area, the dam's water level declined to just 1%.
with silver perch
and golden perch
, while bony bream
, spangled perch and eel-tailed catfish
breed naturally. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam. The poor water quality means that fish caught in the dam may, at times of an algae outbreak
, be a health hazard if eaten.
Laidley, Queensland
Laidley is a town situated in the Lockyer Valley of South East Queensland, Australia. The township lies 83 km west of Brisbane, the state capital....
in South East Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
, was developed to increase the capacity of the existing Lake Dyer, a natural lake adjacent to Laidley Creek, a tributary of Lockyer Creek. The dam was named after the Australian politician Bill Gunn and is managed by SunWater
SunWater
SunWater is a company located in Queensland, Australia. The company supplies bulk water to over 6000 customers and water consultancy to a range of clients....
.
The 1170 m (3,838.6 ft) long earthfill structure has a maximum height of 12 m (39.4 ft) and an overflow spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
which diverts excess water into Laidley Creek. The dam has a storage capacity of 6950 ML and a maximum surface area of 108 ha.
Water from the dam is used for irrigation, in the densely cropped Lockyer Valley. Bill Gunn Dam suffers from high drawdowns and summer evaporation which together with phosphate fertilizer creates significant blue green algae problems. In November 2005, during 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 the area, the dam's water level declined to just 1%.
Facilities
A boating permit is not required, however a maximum of eight boats are allowed at on the lake at once. A single concrete boat ramp and some facilities for visitors, including campers, are available at a lakeside caravan park which is managed by the local council.Fishing
The dam is stockedFish 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...
with 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...
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....
, while bony bream
Bony bream
Bony bream Nematalosa erebi are a widespread and common, small to medium sized Australian freshwater fish often found in large shoals throughout much of northern and central Australia, and the Murray-Darling basin.-Description:...
, spangled perch and 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:...
breed naturally. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam. The poor water quality means that fish caught in the dam may, at times of an algae outbreak
Outbreak
Outbreak is a term used in epidemiology to describe an occurrence of disease greater than would otherwise be expected at a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent. Two linked cases of a rare infectious...
, be a health hazard if eaten.