Talbingo Dam


Talbingo Dam is a major ungated rock fill with clay core embankment dam with concrete chute spillway across the Tumut River upstream of Talbingo in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called Talbingo Reservoir.

History

The structure was completed by Thiess Brothers in 1971, and is one of the sixteen major dams that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 that is now run by Snowy Hydro.

Location and features

Talbingo Dam is a major dam on the Tumut River, within the Snowy Mountains, approximately south of the village of Talbingo. The dam was constructed by Thiess Bros Pty Limited and, at the time, the project was the largest dam ever built in Australia. The dam is the largest and last of the sixteen dams completed as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
The dam wall comprising of rockfill with an upstream sloping silty clay core is high and is long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water at an average depth of. The surface area of Talbingo Reservoir is and the catchment area is. The spillway is capable of discharging.

Power generation

Directly downstream of the dam wall is Tumut 3, a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station, that has six turbine generators with a total generating capacity of of electricity; with a net generation of per annum. The power station has rated hydraulic head, which flows into the station from 6 large pressure pipes from a concrete inlet structure at the edge of the reservoir, built about midway between the proper Talbingo dam and its spillway. The inlet structure can be mistaken by tourists for being the main dam, due to being a far more conspicuous sight from the road that leads into the Talbingo Dam/Tumut 3 complex. The pumps draw water from Jounama Pondage at the rate of, returning water to Talbingo Reservoir for later generation use in periods of peak-demand. The power generated at Tumut 3 serves both New South Wales and Victoria.

Recreation

The reservoir is a popular area for fishing; inclusive of Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Perch, Macquarie Perch, Redfin, and Trout Cod. Power boating is permitted.
Camping is permitted in Kosciuszko National Park.