GrahamstoGrahamstownwn DamDam

Grahamstown Dam Grahamstown Dam was constructed was constructed between 1955 and between 1955 and 1965 as the 1965 as the Hunter’s third Hunter’s third water supply water supply source and is the source and is the Hunter’s largest Hunter’s largest storage of drinking storage of drinking water.water.

Grahamstown MoorsGrahamstown Moors

The dam was The dam was formed by building formed by building an embankment an embankment across the outlet of across the outlet of a natural a natural depression known depression known as the as the Grahamstown Grahamstown Moors.Moors.

Before the DamBefore the Dam The land around The land around

Grahamstown before the Grahamstown before the dam was swamp land and dam was swamp land and there were some dairy there were some dairy farms. farms.

The area was surrounded The area was surrounded by water. Rivers flowed by water. Rivers flowed past and encircling the past and encircling the town of Raymond Terrace town of Raymond Terrace were lagoons and ponds. were lagoons and ponds.

The settlers who lived on The settlers who lived on the land were happy the land were happy because it was easy to find because it was easy to find water.water.

Continued …Continued … But their opinion started to But their opinion started to

change and they were change and they were saying that swamps were saying that swamps were inferior land and they inferior land and they should get compensation.should get compensation.

They said the land was They said the land was undesirable, unhealthy and undesirable, unhealthy and unproductive.unproductive.

A settler by the name of A settler by the name of Richard Windeyer tried to Richard Windeyer tried to drain the water out so they drain the water out so they could make the land a could make the land a better place to live, but it better place to live, but it didn’t work.didn’t work.

Continued . . .Continued . . . Instead the land was left Instead the land was left

the way it was as dairy the way it was as dairy farms and swamp land. farms and swamp land.

Until … more and more Until … more and more people moved into the people moved into the Hunter region.Hunter region.

The water board needed to The water board needed to find another place to store find another place to store water for all of the new water for all of the new people who were moving people who were moving into the area.into the area.

In 1948 they decided to In 1948 they decided to use the Grahamstown area use the Grahamstown area to help increase the water to help increase the water supply to so many people. supply to so many people. They were set to build a They were set to build a new dam on the site. new dam on the site.

Continued . . .Continued . . . It would be bigger than the It would be bigger than the

other dams that they were other dams that they were using at the time.using at the time.

In 1955 construction began In 1955 construction began on the dam and it on the dam and it continued until 1965.continued until 1965.

In 1960, however, there In 1960, however, there was a drought and some of was a drought and some of the water that had been the water that had been stored had to be used stored had to be used before the dam was before the dam was finished to help give water finished to help give water to the people in the to the people in the Hunter.Hunter.

Continued . . .Continued . . .

Today there Today there is not a lot is not a lot of swamp of swamp lands left, lands left, however we however we can see can see some some swampy swampy areas areas around here around here today.today.

The EndThe End

The land has been built up The land has been built up and there have been many and there have been many houses constructed in this houses constructed in this area.area.

When it rains the ground gets When it rains the ground gets very damp and waterlogged. very damp and waterlogged. It takes a long time to dry.It takes a long time to dry.

In summer we have lots and In summer we have lots and lots of mosquitoes. And lots of mosquitoes. And mosquitoes are found in mosquitoes are found in swamp lands. So even though swamp lands. So even though man has changed the man has changed the environment around us today environment around us today to make it a better place for to make it a better place for us to live, the natural us to live, the natural environment is very much environment is very much present, too.present, too.

Grahamstown Dam TodayGrahamstown Dam Today  

Discharge ChannelDischarge Channel Grahamstown Dam serves the Grahamstown Dam serves the

water supply needs of Newcastle water supply needs of Newcastle and the greater Hunter region of and the greater Hunter region of New South Wales. With a current New South Wales. With a current capacity of 131 000 megalitres, it is capacity of 131 000 megalitres, it is the largest above ground storage the largest above ground storage facility owned and managed by facility owned and managed by Hunter Water.Hunter Water.

During the 01/02 financial year, During the 01/02 financial year, Hunter Water continued work that Hunter Water continued work that will ultimately increase the capacity will ultimately increase the capacity of the dam to 195 000 megalitres. of the dam to 195 000 megalitres. As part of this programme, Hunter As part of this programme, Hunter Water commissioned BMD Major Water commissioned BMD Major Projects Pty Ltd to undertake Projects Pty Ltd to undertake construction of the Grahamstown construction of the Grahamstown Dam Discharge Channel.Dam Discharge Channel.

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