Lake Jindabyne
Encyclopedia
Lake Jindabyne is a man-made lake on the Snowy River
on the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains
in Southern New South Wales. The lake was created by the damming of the River as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme
.
and Eucumbene River
. The Jindabyne pumping station pumps the water from the rivers into the Snowy-Murray tunnel where it flows west through Murray 1 and Murray 2 Power Stations before entering the Swampy Plains River and then the Murray River
. The flow of water into Lake Jindabyne is particularly strong during the spring months of October and November. Lake Jindabyne's capacity is 689,790 megalitres.
The idea of the Snowy Mountains Scheme
was developed in the 1940s as a way of increasing the flow of inland rivers in order to encourage the development of primary industries based on irrigation. After the Lake was built, the flow of water into the Snowy River was only 1% of the amount that flowed before the river was dammed. This caused concerns about the state of the lower reaches of the Snowy River in Victoria and NSW http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/95/8_3s1.htm.
A Victorian parliamentary committee recommended in October 1998 that the flow into the Snowy River be increased to 15%. Craig Ingram
was elected to the Victorian Parliament as the independent member of East Gippsland
with a promise to increase the flow into the Snowy River. After the 1999 election, Ingram was one of a handful of independents who reached an agreement with Steve Bracks
, the leader of the Victorian ALP. In 2000, the NSW and Victorian Governments reached a long-term agreement to increase the flow of water into the Snowy to 28%. Work to modify the dam spillway commenced in 1994 and is ongoing as at July 2009.
, Brook Trout
and Rainbow Trout
. In 1969 the Eucumbene Sailing Club moved to Lake Jindabyne and formed the Lake Jindabyne Yacht Club as conditions were not as rough on Jindabyne as Eucumbene
. The club operates from November until April every year with racing in nineteen different classes of boat.
was on the site proposed for the dam. It was relocated to a nearby site on the shores of the lake in the mid-1960s. The settlement of East Jindabyne is located above what is known as Old Jindabyne and you can occasionally see parts of the old town when the levels of the lake are low. The Polish community has built a statue of Paul Strzelecki who first explored the area to celebrate the Bicentennial of white settlement of Australia in 1988.
Lake Jindabyne also has a reputation as one of the best places to catch trout
in Australia. It is also a popular venue for waterskiing and sailing during spring, summer and autumn.
Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
on the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", are the highest Australian mountain range and contain the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2,228 metres AHD, approximately 7310 feet....
in Southern New South Wales. The lake was created by the damming of the River as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia. It consists of sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts and was constructed between 1949 and 1974. The Chief engineer was Sir...
.
Flow of water
Lake Jindabyne receives the flow from the Snowy River as well as its tributaries, the Thredbo RiverThredbo River
The Thredbo is a river which runs through Thredbo, New South Wales, Australia. Formerly known as the Crackenback River. Feeds into the Snowy River at Lake Jindabyne....
and Eucumbene River
Eucumbene River
The Eucumbene River rises in the northern part of the Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, and flows south. Its flow is blocked by Eucumbene Dam, the largest dam in the Snowy Mountains Scheme...
. The Jindabyne pumping station pumps the water from the rivers into the Snowy-Murray tunnel where it flows west through Murray 1 and Murray 2 Power Stations before entering the Swampy Plains River and then the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
. The flow of water into Lake Jindabyne is particularly strong during the spring months of October and November. Lake Jindabyne's capacity is 689,790 megalitres.
The idea of the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia. It consists of sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts and was constructed between 1949 and 1974. The Chief engineer was Sir...
was developed in the 1940s as a way of increasing the flow of inland rivers in order to encourage the development of primary industries based on irrigation. After the Lake was built, the flow of water into the Snowy River was only 1% of the amount that flowed before the river was dammed. This caused concerns about the state of the lower reaches of the Snowy River in Victoria and NSW http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/95/8_3s1.htm.
A Victorian parliamentary committee recommended in October 1998 that the flow into the Snowy River be increased to 15%. Craig Ingram
Craig Ingram
Craig Ingram is a former Australian politician, and was the Independent Member of Parliament for Gippsland East in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2010.-Personal life:...
was elected to the Victorian Parliament as the independent member of East Gippsland
East Gippsland
East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114....
with a promise to increase the flow into the Snowy River. After the 1999 election, Ingram was one of a handful of independents who reached an agreement with Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, the leader of the Victorian ALP. In 2000, the NSW and Victorian Governments reached a long-term agreement to increase the flow of water into the Snowy to 28%. Work to modify the dam spillway commenced in 1994 and is ongoing as at July 2009.
Recreational Uses
Lake Jindabyne is a popular sailing and fishing destination. The body of water is one of the largest fresh water resivoirs in New South Wales, and has a resident population of Atlantic SalmonAtlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
, Brook Trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
and Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
. In 1969 the Eucumbene Sailing Club moved to Lake Jindabyne and formed the Lake Jindabyne Yacht Club as conditions were not as rough on Jindabyne as Eucumbene
Lake Eucumbene
Lake Eucumbene is a man-made lake on the Eucumbene River in the Snowy Mountains of Southern New South Wales in Australia. The lake was created by the damming of the river as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The dam was built between 1956 and 1958....
. The club operates from November until April every year with racing in nineteen different classes of boat.
Human environment
The town of JindabyneJindabyne, New South Wales
Jindabyne is a town in south-east New South Wales, Australia that overlooks Lake Jindabyne near the Snowy Mountains, in Snowy River Shire. It is a popular holiday destination, especially in winter, due to its proximity to several ski resorts throughout the Kosciuszko National Park, including...
was on the site proposed for the dam. It was relocated to a nearby site on the shores of the lake in the mid-1960s. The settlement of East Jindabyne is located above what is known as Old Jindabyne and you can occasionally see parts of the old town when the levels of the lake are low. The Polish community has built a statue of Paul Strzelecki who first explored the area to celebrate the Bicentennial of white settlement of Australia in 1988.
Lake Jindabyne also has a reputation as one of the best places to catch trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
in Australia. It is also a popular venue for waterskiing and sailing during spring, summer and autumn.
External links
- Lake Jindabyne Map at Sweetwater Fishing
- Image and Link Collection