Leslie Harrison Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leslie Harrison Dam |
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The Leslie Harrison Dam, in 2014
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 Location of the Leslie Harrison Dam
in Queensland |
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| Country | Australia |
| Location | South East Queensland |
| Coordinates | 27°31′41″S 153°10′49″E / 27.52806°S 153.18028°E |
| Purpose | Potable water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date |
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| Operator(s) | SEQ Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Tingalpa Creek |
| Height | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Length | 525 m (1,722 ft) |
| Dam volume | 315×103 m3 (11.1×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Vertical lift gates |
| Spillway capacity | 1,450 m3/s (51,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Tingalpa Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 24,868 ML (5.470×109 imp gal; 6.569×109 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 87.5 km2 (33.8 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 470 ha (1,200 acres) |
The Leslie Harrison Dam is a large wall built across the Tingalpa Creek in Queensland, Australia. It's an earth-fill dam, meaning it's made mostly of earth and rock. The dam helps supply clean water to the Redland City area near Brisbane. The large lake formed by the dam is called Tingalpa Reservoir. The dam was named after Robert Leslie Harrison, a Queensland politician who passed away in 1966.
Where is the Leslie Harrison Dam Located?
The dam is found between the suburbs of Capalaba, Chandler, and Burbank. This is about 16 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of Brisbane. The main stream that flows into the reservoir is Tingalpa Creek.
The Leslie Harrison Dam is part of the South East Queensland Water Grid. This is a network of dams and pipelines that share water across the region. The dam provides about 20% of the water needed for Redland City.
The dam was finished in 1968. It is 25 metres (82 feet) high and 535 metres (1,755 feet) long. The dam wall holds back a huge amount of water, about 24,868 megalitres (6,570 million US gallons) when full. This water comes from a large area of 87.5 square kilometres (33.8 square miles). This area includes parts of the Venman Bushland National Park. The Tingalpa Reservoir covers an area of 470 hectares (1,161 acres).
In 1984, the dam wall was made taller, and special gates were added to the spillway. A spillway is like a safety valve that lets excess water out of the dam. These changes helped increase the water supply. In 2014, these gates were removed to make the dam safer. The spillway can release 1,450 cubic metres (51,190 cubic feet) of water per second.
The Redland City Council first managed the dam. But in 2008, Seqwater took over its management. This was part of a big project to improve water safety in South East Queensland.
Improvements to the Dam
In 2012–2013, experts reviewed 26 dams managed by Seqwater. They found that some dams, including Leslie Harrison Dam, needed upgrades. These upgrades were needed to meet new safety rules for dams in Queensland.
The detailed plans for upgrading the Leslie Harrison Dam are now complete. Construction was expected to start in mid-2018 and take about 12 months. The improvements include:
- Making the dam wall wider and stronger.
- Anchoring the spillway more securely.
- Helping the dam withstand extreme weather and earthquakes better.
- The gates will not be put back on the spillway.
Recreation at the Dam
Currently, there are no plans to allow public activities like swimming or boating at Leslie Harrison Dam. In 2014, Seqwater studied how recreation affects the quality of drinking water in lakes. This study was very detailed and one of the biggest of its kind in Australia.
In 2016, a water quality check was done at Leslie Harrison Dam using this new tool. The study found that because the dam provides drinking water for the Redlands area, allowing recreation would create too many risks to the water quality.
