History Enoggera Dam

1 history

1.1 site selection
1.2 construction
1.3 droughts , floods

history

the dam constructed in 1866. built on enoggera creek , first major dam built in queensland (it second major dam built in australia — first major dam, yan yean reservoir having been built in victoria in 1850). rare 1 of few remaining examples in queensland of intact , functioning reservoir , treatment plant period in time. clay cored earthfill dam designed , built joseph brady.

water supply problems plagued brisbane s years. after brisbane municipal council established in 1860, water supply committee formed. earliest reservoir in brisbane, located @ intersection of present george street , roma street, suffered accumulation of dead animals , vegetable matter.

site selection

breakfast creek rejected water supply committee because close town. thomas oldham, engineer had worked on water supply melbourne, employed conduct survey , solve brisbane s problems.

one of oldham s site recommendations on brisbane river near dutton park dismissed because of prohibitive costs. other site oldham suggested selected because enoggera creek left range. surveyor-general, augustus gregory suggested site on ithaca creek. location abandoned because had small catchment size.

enoggera creek had large catchment rose higher in d aguilar range , had more smaller creeks flowing it. location steep , heavily timbered. took eighteen months , ten different contractors clear site.

construction

a hand coloured postcard showing picnickers around turn of 20th century.

the queensland government didn t have confidence in council supervise dam s construction. after requesting revised plans , detailed cost estimates board of waterworks established oversee project.

approval dam s construction given in may 1864. work began in august 1864 water flowing july 1866. single cast-iron mains pipe, 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, supplied town of brisbane. 1869 pipelines extended total of eighteen kilometers, benefiting between 5 , 6 thousand people.

three outlet pipes incorporated design instead of usual 1 or two. allowed potential supply increase if needed providing safety benefits.

the original cost ₤50,000, raised ₤65,000. end of 1870 more ₤71,000 had been spent , water supply rapidly growing city of brisbane not being met strong demand. solve problem dam, gold creek dam approved in 1881.

a commemorative drinking fountain in city botanic gardens dedicated arrival of clean drinking mains water brisbane.

droughts , floods

dry periods pronounced water quality problems in both enoggera dam , gold creek dam built after enoggera reservoir completed. mount crosby weir , pumping station alleviated concerns flooding of brisbane river problematic. not until 1912 water enoggera dam filtered.

a spillway added in 1976. 7 metres added height of dam wall flood mitigation in same year.

it decommissioned in 2003, in 2006 water enoggera dam again added inner north-west brisbane s drinking water supply, when drought had reduced south east queensland s water supply critical levels.