Wednesday 25 October 2017

Lake Hume, Bethanga Victoria.

What a great find was this lake,  Lake Hume.  Grounds are well looked after, there are picnic tables and seats scattered about.  The weather was pleasant with a crisp chill in the air - this winter on our holiday.

The dam is a mix of a concrete gravity dam with four earth embankments. The dam wall height is 51 metres (167 ft) and the crest is 1,615 metres (5,299 ft) long with the auxiliary embankments extending a further 1,010 metres (3,310 ft). The maximum water depth is 40 metres (130 ft) and at 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 3,005,157 megalitres (106,126.1×106 cu ft) of water at 192 metres (630 ft) AHD. The surface area of Lake Hume is 20,190 hectares (49,900 acres) and the catchment area is 15,300 square kilometres (5,900 sq mi). The dam wall is constructed of rock covered with clay and other earth and is designed to carry vehicular traffic. A controlled concrete spillway that comprises a gated concrete overflow, with twenty-nine vertical undershot gates, is capable of discharging 7,929 cubic metres per second (280,000 cu ft/s).

The dam wall was extended during the 1950s, and completed in 1961, necessitating the wholesale removal of Tallangatta township and its re-establishment at a new site 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of the original, as well as railway and road diversions. Monitoring of the dam in the early 1990s revealed that the water pressure and leakage had caused the dam to move on its foundations slightly, leading to concerns that the dam was heading for collapse, threatening Albury-Wodonga and the entire Murray basin. Authorities denied any short-term threat.

Traffic was banned from the spillway, and remedial work commenced involving, in part, the construction of a secondary earth wall behind the original to take the strain. Further upgrades to the dam at an estimated cost of A$60 million commenced in 2010 and are due for completion in 2015. These works include the installation of an improved filter and drainage system on the junction between the concrete spillway and southern embankment, construction of a concrete buttress on the southern training wall, and possible modifications to improve the ability of the dam to manage extreme floods.
Wikipedia




The lake is stocked with fish.  Most of these are introduced species - carp, redfin and trout though native species such as Golden Perch and Murray Cod can also be found.  The fishing varies from year to year.
It is also popular for water skiing, and several holiday resorts catering for fishing and skiers are dotted around the upper reaches of the lake.  An annual Canoe marathon race the 'Frank Harrison Classic' is run on the river beginning below the dam each February and attracts competitors from across Australia.
Wikipedia



The Hume Power Station is a 58 megawatts (78,000 hp) hydro-electric power station installed in the dam wall, and is primarily used for peak-load generation. The station has an average annual output of 220 gigawatt-hours (790 TJ). The power station comprises two 29 megawatts (39,000 hp) turbines and is operated by Eraring Energy. In October 2012, a high voltage transformer at the power station caught fire, requiring more than fifty fire fighters who worked into the long hours of the night to put out the blaze.
The power station was completed in 1957, running two 25 megawatts (34,000 hp) turbines. In 2000, these turbines were each upgraded to 29 megawatts (39,000 hp).
Wikipedia






View across the lake


34 comments:

  1. Gorgeous pictures!!!
    Very impressive.
    It seems we can smell the air, feel the breeze...
    : )

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  2. It's a nice looking dam with lovely surrounds and views. I'm glad they noticed the early damage and stepped in right away with repairs and upgrades. Disaster averted.

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    1. Thanks goodness the repairs were done, made it a beautiful place to visit.

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  3. We planned to visit the lake last year but instead drove on past. I can't remember why we did not stop, but I am sure there was a good reason. It's good to read your description.

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    1. We sometimes intend to visit certainly places with attractions and same as you drive on by.

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  4. El agua es fuente de vida y es un placer para la vistas encontrarse con estos lagos en donde viven esas distintas variedades de peces.

    Besos

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    1. Many come for fishing as well as a picnic or just look as we did.

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  5. Green and lovely. And how nice to hear of pre-emptive restoration.

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    1. Always wonderful to find out that things have been restored, it's to me satisfying.

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  6. Sure is frightening to think of what would happen to all that water should the dam let go. It does make a beautiful lake though.

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    1. Be a mess I reckon if that dam or any other dam were to burst or whatever...be a massive amount of water flowing.

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  7. Lovely photographs with lovely views across the lake.

    All the best Jan

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  8. More amazing photos and wonderful information you have shared

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  9. The grounds of Hume Dam are beautifully maintained. Great photos. The dam is even fuller now than when you were there in winter. Our irrigation water comes from this dam.

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    1. Oh my does it really! I didn't know that, so thanks for telling me.

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  10. Colin, Sorry but I accidentally deleted your comment. Thought it would only delete the first bit but was wrong..

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  11. Wow that's quite the set up! It makes for awesome photos though!

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  12. Wow!!!

    you made me feel to be with you there dear Margaret!

    What a Stunning lake to visit and i am imagining the serenity and joy you must have felt by wandering around this gorgeous place .
    Brilliantly captured vies and so delightful and peaceful to stare at!!!

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