Upper Nepean Scheme
Encyclopedia
The Upper Nepean Scheme is a series of dams in the catchments of the Cataract
, Cordeaux
, Avon
and Nepean
rivers of New South Wales
, Australia
. The scheme includes four dams and supplies the Macarthur
and Illawarra
regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney
.
via 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) of tunnels, canals and aqueducts collectively known as the Upper Canal. Between 1907 and 1935 a dam was built on each of the rivers to increase the water supply for Sydney. The Scheme is managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority
. Each dam includes a public picnic area.
In total, the four dams hold 510,660 megalitres
and can safely provide 353 megalitres/day.
Cataract Dam is a straight dam with an unlined side spillway extending from the left abutment. It is 56 meters tall; 247 m long; and it holds 94,300 megalitres of water. Cataract Dam was the first dam built in the Upper Nepean Scheme, it was also first dam in Australia to use pre-cast moulded concrete blocks for the upstream face of the dam. The downsteam face is of mass poured basalt
concrete, with a basalt facing. A readily accessible source of suitable rock was located some distance away at Sherbrooke, also known as Ferndale, situated near the top of Bulli Pass
. To transport the basalt from the quarry to the dam construction site, a 2 ft (610mm) gauge steam tramway, 8.8 km long, was constructed . Dam construction began in 1902 and was completed in 1907, and the spillway was widened in 1915. Ernest Macartney de Burgh
was the supervising engineer for the project from 1904. Poet Banjo Paterson
wrote a satirical ballad "The Dam that Keele Built" about the politics behind the construction of Cataract Dam.
Cordeaux Dam is a curved dam with an unlined side spillway on the left abutment. It is 57 m height; 405 m long; and holds 93,640 megalitres. Construction began in 1918 and was completed in 1926.
The blue metal used in the construction of the dam was supplied from the Government Quarries at Kiama
and brought by rail to Douglas Park
. From here it was conveyed by aerial ropeway across the Nepean Gorge to an interchange on the eastern side where the material was transferred to a 2 ft (610mm) gauge steam tramway to a point adjacent to the dam site.
railway station on a specially built road, all the other dams in the scheme used rail transport. There were some light tramways constructed at the dam site, however it would appear that no locomotives were employed; skips, etc., being moved by winch, horse or manpower.
Nepean Dam is a curved dam, it is 82 m tall; 216 m long; and holds 81,360 megalitres. Construction on the Dam began in 1926, construction was delayed for two years during the Depression, it was finally completed in 1935.
Railway sidings were established on the Main Southern Line at a point between Bargo and Yerrinbool
. Transport to the dam site was again by light railway, on this occasion of standard gauge. This avoided transhipment from the Government vehicles bringing materials from large commercial quarries, effectively making the line an extended privately owned siding. The line was 4 km long through gentle countryside. Trains were worked by a variety of locomotives, including a former Sydney Steam Tram Motor. Additionally, there was a system of narrow (610mm) gauge lines in use at the dam construction site.
Additional work was carried out on the spillway between 1943 and 1947 to prevent scouring of the dam foundations.
Cataract River (Wollondilly)
The Cataract River is a tributary of the Nepean River, and hence of the Hawkesbury River, in New South Wales, Australia. The headwaters of the river are in the Wollondilly Shire local government area....
, Cordeaux
Cordeaux River
The Cordeaux River is a tributary of the Nepean River, and hence of the Hawkesbury River, in New South Wales, Australia.The headwaters of the river are located on the west slopes of the coastal escarpment some west of Wollongong and the Pacific Ocean. The upper reaches of the river are impounded...
, Avon
Avon River (Wollongong)
The Avon River, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, has its source about 4 km W of Calderwood and flows generally north into the Cordeaux River.This river is in the City of Wollongong Local Government Area and the Camden County, New South Wales....
and Nepean
Nepean River
The Nepean River is a river in the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia.The headwaters of the Nepean River rise near Robertson, about 100 kilometres south of Sydney and about 15 kilometres from the coast. The river flows north in an unpopulated water catchment area into Nepean Dam, which...
rivers of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, 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 scheme includes four dams and supplies the Macarthur
Macarthur, New South Wales
Macarthur is a region in south-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region includes the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown, Camden Council and Wollondilly Shire. It covers an area of 3,067 square kilometres and has a population of close to 240,000 residents...
and Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
History
The Upper Nepean Scheme was completed in 1888. The Scheme was a significant feat of engineering at the time of construction, it worked by diverting water from weirs on the Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean rivers to Prospect ReservoirProspect reservoir
Prospect Reservoir is a water storage reservoir located at the headwaters of Prospect Creek in the Greater Western Sydney suburb of Prospect, in New South Wales, Australia. The dam wall is known as Prospect Dam.-History of the site:...
via 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) of tunnels, canals and aqueducts collectively known as the Upper Canal. Between 1907 and 1935 a dam was built on each of the rivers to increase the water supply for Sydney. The Scheme is managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority
Sydney Catchment Authority
The Sydney Catchment Authority is a New South Wales, Australia Government agency created in 1999. The SCA manages and protects Sydney's drinking water catchments and catchment infrastructure, and supplies bulk water to its customers, including Sydney Water and a number of local councils.The SCA's...
. Each dam includes a public picnic area.
In total, the four dams hold 510,660 megalitres
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
and can safely provide 353 megalitres/day.
Cataract Dam
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
concrete, with a basalt facing. A readily accessible source of suitable rock was located some distance away at Sherbrooke, also known as Ferndale, situated near the top of Bulli Pass
Bulli Pass
Bulli Pass is a mountain pass northwest of Bulli, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Illawarra Escarpment west of the Illawarra coastal plain. It was built during the 19th century for use by loggers and locals transporting goods to and from Sydney...
. To transport the basalt from the quarry to the dam construction site, a 2 ft (610mm) gauge steam tramway, 8.8 km long, was constructed . Dam construction began in 1902 and was completed in 1907, and the spillway was widened in 1915. Ernest Macartney de Burgh
Ernest Macartney de Burgh
Ernest Macartney de Burgh was an Irish-born Australian civil engineer, chief-engineer for water supply and sewerage in New South Wales.-Early life:...
was the supervising engineer for the project from 1904. Poet Banjo Paterson
Banjo Paterson
Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, OBE was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, focusing particularly on the rural and outback areas, including the district around Binalong, New South Wales where he spent much of his childhood...
wrote a satirical ballad "The Dam that Keele Built" about the politics behind the construction of Cataract Dam.
Cordeaux Dam
The blue metal used in the construction of the dam was supplied from the Government Quarries at Kiama
Kiama, New South Wales
-Transport:The town is served by Kiama Station on the South Coast Line. It is served by road in the form of the Princes Highway and the Kiama Bypass.-Attractions:...
and brought by rail to Douglas Park
Douglas Park, New South Wales
Douglas Park is a town of the Macarthur Region in New South Wales, Australia in Wollondilly Shire. It is near the Hume Highway and on the Main Southern railway line. Its station is served by CityRail's Southern Highlands services. It is about 80 km southwest of Sydney. Locals refer to the...
. From here it was conveyed by aerial ropeway across the Nepean Gorge to an interchange on the eastern side where the material was transferred to a 2 ft (610mm) gauge steam tramway to a point adjacent to the dam site.
Avon Dam
Avon Dam is a curved dam, it is 72 m tall; 223 m long; and it holds 214,360 megalitres. It has the largest capacity of all the dams in the Scheme. Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1927. All materials for construction were transported from BargoBargo, New South Wales
Bargo is a small town of the Macarthur Region, New South Wales, Australia in the Wollondilly Shire. It is approximately 100 km south west of Sydney....
railway station on a specially built road, all the other dams in the scheme used rail transport. There were some light tramways constructed at the dam site, however it would appear that no locomotives were employed; skips, etc., being moved by winch, horse or manpower.
Nepean Dam
Railway sidings were established on the Main Southern Line at a point between Bargo and Yerrinbool
Yerrinbool, New South Wales
Yerrinbool is a Northern Village of the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in the Wingecarribee Shire, and is accessible from the Hume Highway and is about 12 km drive from nearby Mittagong. It is 6–8 km by foot to Hill Top as the crow flies. It was previously officially...
. Transport to the dam site was again by light railway, on this occasion of standard gauge. This avoided transhipment from the Government vehicles bringing materials from large commercial quarries, effectively making the line an extended privately owned siding. The line was 4 km long through gentle countryside. Trains were worked by a variety of locomotives, including a former Sydney Steam Tram Motor. Additionally, there was a system of narrow (610mm) gauge lines in use at the dam construction site.
Additional work was carried out on the spillway between 1943 and 1947 to prevent scouring of the dam foundations.