Gold Creek Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gold Creek Dam |
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 Location of the Gold Creek Dam in Queensland
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| Country | Australia |
| Location | South East Queensland |
| Coordinates | 27°27′39″S 152°52′52″E / 27.46083°S 152.88111°E |
| Purpose | Potable water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1881 |
| Opening date | 1882; upgrade 2005 |
| Operator(s) | SEQ Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Gold Creek |
| Height | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Length | 191 m (627 ft) |
| Dam volume | 106×103 m3 (3.7×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 132 m3/s (4,700 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Gold Creek Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 1,800 ML (400×106 imp gal; 480×106 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 10.48 km2 (4.05 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 2.46 ha (6.1 acres) |
| Maximum length | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
| Maximum water depth | 26 m (85 ft) |
The Gold Creek Dam is a special kind of wall built across Gold Creek in Queensland, Australia. It's an earth-fill dam, meaning it's made mostly of earth and rock. Its main job is to hold back water to create the Gold Creek Reservoir. This water is then cleaned and sent to homes in the Brisbane area for drinking.
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About the Gold Creek Dam
The Gold Creek Dam is found near Brisbane Forest Park. It is about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west of Brisbane. The dam was built on Gold Creek, which flows into Moggill Creek. It was needed to add to the water supply from the Enoggera Dam. The Gold Creek site could supply water to the highest parts of the city.
The dam wall is made of earth and is 26 metres (85 ft) high. It stretches 475 metres (1,558 ft) long. The dam holds back a large amount of water, about 801-megalitre (28.3×106 cu ft) when full. This water comes from a catchment area of 10.5 square kilometres (4.1 sq mi). The reservoir has an average depth of 26 metres (85 ft).
How the Dam Works
The dam has an "un-gated spillway." This is a special channel that lets extra water flow out when the reservoir gets too full. This helps prevent flooding. The spillway can release 132 cubic metres per second (4,700 cu ft/s) of water.
The Gold Creek Dam was first managed by the Brisbane City Council. Since 2008, it has been managed by Seqwater. Seqwater is a company that looks after water supplies in Queensland.
Building the Dam
The Gold Creek Dam was one of the first large dams built in Queensland. Work on the dam started in 1881. The main dam wall was built between 1882 and 1885. It was a difficult project. There were unexpected problems, which made it cost more and take longer.
The dam was connected to Brisbane by a 20 kilometres (12 mi) long pipe. This pipe was 16 inches (41 cm) wide and made of cast-iron. It brought water to the growing city.
A Special Spillway
The original spillway was damaged by floods in 1890. It was replaced with a new design. This new spillway was made of un-reinforced concrete and had steps. It was the first of its kind in the world! This design helped water flow down safely. Most of this original stepped spillway is still used today.
Water Quality and Supply
People in Brisbane sometimes complained about the water quality. Even though the water from Gold Creek was good in 1883, it sometimes looked discolored or smelled bad during dry weather.
In 1885, experts suggested building tanks to clean the water. They also recommended filtering the water. However, these ideas were not put into action right away. This was partly because it was hard to find a good place to treat water from both dams.
Visiting the Dam
You can visit Gold Creek Dam by driving to the end of Gold Creek Road. This road is off Brookfield Road in Brookfield. There is also a bus route that goes close to the dam. From the bus stop, it's about a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) walk or bike ride to the dam. The road is winding but mostly flat.
There are different ways to get to the top of the dam. A steep walking track goes to the eastern end. A gentler vehicle track leads to the western end.
Fun Activities at the Dam
At the bottom of the dam, you'll find public toilets and an information board. The board has a map of the dam and the walking track. You are not allowed to do activities on the water, like boating. This is because the water used to be for drinking.
Walking and Riding Tracks
The Gold Creek Reservoir track is about 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) long. It starts and ends at the dam, going all the way around the reservoir. It's great for running, walking, or mountain biking. However, you cannot ride horses on this track.
The track has different parts. Some sections are narrow and winding, while others are wider and flatter. There's also a side-track that goes to a Hoop Pine plantation. Sometimes, parts of the track can become overgrown.
Other walking and riding tracks also start here. These tracks go deep into Brisbane Forest Park. The Gold Creek Reservoir is also home to a running event called the Pinnacles Classic. This event uses a hilly, 18-kilometre (11 mi) course.
Images for kids
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Gold Creek Dam tower with Little Black Cormorants
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Gold Creek Dam weir
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Looking up at the Gold Creek Dam stepped spillway
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Gold Creek Dam trail view in 2018
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Gold Creek Dam trail view in 2018
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Gold Creek Dam trail view in 2018
