Mount Crosby Weir
Encyclopedia
The Mount Crosby Weir is weir
on the Brisbane River
at Mount Crosby
in South East Queensland
, Australia
. The project was instigated by John Petrie
at the end of the 19th century. The town of Brisbane
was expanding and seeking more reliable sources of drinking water than Enoggera Dam
and Gold Creek Dam
could provide.
The location was selected because it was just above the upstream tidal flow of seawater at Colleges Crossing
. The concrete structure was completed in April 1892. The dam wall rises 4.57 m and is 81.4 m in length. The weir has a capacity of 3430 ML, making it one of the largest weirs in the region. On top of the weir is a one-lane road which is open to the public.
The nearby Mount Crosby Pumping Station is used to transport drinking water that is sourced from the weir as well as Lake Manchester Dam
built shortly after the Mount Crosby Weir.
Without an ongoing eradication program water hyacinth
weed can choke the waters behind the weir, all the way upstream to Fernvale
. In 2009 the weir was flushed to remove algai and organic matter that had built up.
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
on the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
at Mount Crosby
Mount Crosby, Queensland
Mount Crosby is a mountain and outer suburb of Brisbane, Australia located south-west of the Brisbane CBD.-Geography:The Brisbane River, Mount Crosby and the adjoining State Forest are the dominant natural features of the area.-History:...
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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The project was instigated by John Petrie
John Petrie
John "Jocky" Petrie was a Scottish football player who played for Arbroath F.C..He holds the record for the most goals ever scored in a senior British football game with 13 goals. This occurred during Arbroath's famous 36–0 victory over Bon Accord F.C...
at the end of the 19th century. The town of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
was expanding and seeking more reliable sources of drinking water than Enoggera Dam
Enoggera Dam
The Enoggera Dam, which is located within the inner, western suburb of Enoggera Reservoir, in Brisbane, Queensland, and was constructed in 1866. It was built on Enoggera Creek and was the first major dam built in Queensland...
and Gold Creek Dam
Gold Creek Dam
Gold Creek Dam is an earthen dam located on the edge of Brisbane Forest Park on the western outskirts of Brisbane, Australia. The dam holds back Gold Creek Reservoir...
could provide.
The location was selected because it was just above the upstream tidal flow of seawater at Colleges Crossing
Colleges Crossing
Colleges Crossing is a Brisbane River bridge that crosses at Chuwar, a suburb of Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia. The location is the point where the tidal influences no longer affect the waters of the river. The road across the bridge is Mount Crosby Road...
. The concrete structure was completed in April 1892. The dam wall rises 4.57 m and is 81.4 m in length. The weir has a capacity of 3430 ML, making it one of the largest weirs in the region. On top of the weir is a one-lane road which is open to the public.
The nearby Mount Crosby Pumping Station is used to transport drinking water that is sourced from the weir as well as Lake Manchester Dam
Lake Manchester Dam
Lake Manchester is built on Cabbage Tree Creek in the suburb of the same name, not far above its confluence with the Brisbane River in South East Queensland, Australia. The dam wall is a concrete gravity-section type. Its original purpose was to supplement supplies when the flow of the Brisbane...
built shortly after the Mount Crosby Weir.
Without an ongoing eradication program water hyacinth
Water hyacinth
The seven species of water hyacinth comprise the genus Eichhornia. Water hyacinth are a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in...
weed can choke the waters behind the weir, all the way upstream to Fernvale
Fernvale, Queensland
Fernvale is a town located on the Brisbane Valley Highway in South East Queensland. The town is part of the Somerset Region.Situated a few kilometres from the Brisbane River, it is 30 km away from Ipswich and 60 km away from Brisbane. It is 80 km away from Toowoomba and 120 km...
. In 2009 the weir was flushed to remove algai and organic matter that had built up.
See also
- List of reservoirs and dams in Australia
- South East Queensland Water GridSouth East Queensland Water GridThe SEQ Water Grid is a region-wide, long term, water supply scheme that provides a sustainable water infrastructure network for the South East Queensland region of Australia. The project was the largest urban response to the Drought in Australia, which was severely affecting water supplies in...