Opuha Dam
Encyclopedia
The Opuha Dam is located on the Opuha River
, a tributary of the Opihi River
in South Canterbury
, New Zealand
. The dam is used for water storage for farming irrigation
and provides 7.7 MW of electricity to New Zealand
's national grid.
The dam failed during construction on February 6, 1997 due to heavy rain. It was completed in 1998, creating Lake Opuha.
Opuha River
The Opuha River is located in Canterbury, New Zealand. A tributary of the Opihi River, its two branches flow southeast for 35 kilometres before joining the larger river between Geraldine and Fairlie....
, a tributary of the Opihi River
Opihi River
The Opihi River flows through south Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island.It flows southeast for 75 kilometres, reaching the Pacific Ocean 10 kilometres north of Timaru...
in South Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The dam is used for water storage for farming irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
and provides 7.7 MW of electricity to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's national grid.
The dam failed during construction on February 6, 1997 due to heavy rain. It was completed in 1998, creating Lake Opuha.
External links
- IPENZ report on emergency management.