Lake Hume
| Lake Hume | |||||||||||
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| Coordinates | 36 ° 6 '30 " S , 147 ° 1' 52" E | ||||||||||
| Data on the structure | |||||||||||
| Construction time: | 1919-1931 | ||||||||||
| Height of the barrier structure : | 51 m | ||||||||||
| Crown length: | 1616 m | ||||||||||
| Power plant output: | 50 MW | ||||||||||
| Data on the reservoir | |||||||||||
| Water surface | 202 km² | ||||||||||
| Storage space | 3,038 million m³ | ||||||||||
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The Lake Hume is a large dam on the Murray River in Australia . It lies on the border between Victoria and New South Wales and is branched into many tributaries. In addition to the two main arms, almost 40 km long, the Murray River and the Mitta Mitta River , some smaller rivers are dammed here by the Hume Dam. The dam and lake are named after the Australian researcher Hamilton Hume . The twin town of Albury - Wodonga is nearby to the west; Wodonga is in Victoria while Albury is in New South Wales. The towns of Tallangatta , Bonegilla and Bellbridge (all in Victoria) are on the shores of the lake .
The dam consists of heaped rock that is covered with clay and earth. He has a flood relief made of concrete. The dam is 51 m high, 1616 m long and carries a road. The dam was built by several thousand workers within twelve years from 1919 to 1931. In the 1950s it was expanded, with the town of Tallangatta being completely relocated. It was rebuilt in a new location eight kilometers to the west.
The hydropower plant at the foot of the dam supplies 50 megawatts for peak demand.
Lake Hume is the lowest large reservoir on the Murray. It is the quickest way to provide water for irrigation purposes. The water content of the reservoir typically drops to a third of its capacity each March and usually refills to at least two thirds by November. This can vary from year to year because Australia's climatic conditions are unpredictable.
Monitoring of the dam in the 1990s revealed that water pressure and seepage caused the dam to shift slightly on its foundation. Repairs were carried out for fear of collapse that would endanger Albury-Wodonga. The dam was reinforced with a second dam. Only a few dozen workers were needed for this work.
The reservoir is very rich in fish. Most species are introduced, for example "European perch" (Redfin) and trout. Water-skiing is popular for recreational purposes, and there are several resorts around the lake that offer fishing and water-skiing equipment.
See also:
- List of the largest dams on earth
- List of the largest reservoirs on earth
- List of the largest hydroelectric plants in the world
- List of dams in the world
