South Para Dam
| South Para Dam | |
|---|---|
 The reservoir, viewed from the bridge over the spillway, in 2005 | |
  South Para Dam Location of the dam in South Australia | |
Interactive map of South Para Dam | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Adelaide Plains, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°41′20″S 138°51′12″E / 34.688936°S 138.853412°E |
| Purpose | Water supply |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1949 |
| Opening date | 1958 |
| Construction cost | A$6.4 million |
| Owner | Government of South Australia |
| Operator | SA Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earth fill dam |
| Impounds | South Para River |
| Height (foundation) | 48 m (157 ft) |
| Length | 284 m (932 ft) |
| Dam volume | 553×103 m3 (19.5×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 2,260 m3/s (80,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | South Para Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 45.33 GL (36,750 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 228 km2 (88 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 444 hectares (1,100 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 250 m (820 ft) AHD |
| Website sawater.com.au | |
The South Para Dam is an earth-filled embankment dam across the South Para River, located near Williamstown, on the Adelaide Plains, 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-east of Adelaide, in South Australia. Completed in 1958, the resultant reservoir, the South Para Reservoir, was established to supply potable water for Adelaide. After the Mount Bold Reservoir, it is the second largest reservoir in South Australia, and it reaches full capacity approximately once in every five years.
Overview
The earth-filled dam wall is 48 metres (157 ft) high and 284 metres (932 ft) long. When full, the reservoir has capacity of 45.33 gigalitres (36,750 acre⋅ft) and covers 444 hectares (1,100 acres), drawn from a catchment area of 228 square kilometres (88 sq mi). The uncontrolled spillway has a flow capacity of 2,260 cubic metres per second (80,000 cu ft/s).[1]
Costing A$6.4 million, the reservoir took almost a decade to construct, between 1949 and 1958, due to a demand on resources in the post-war boom. The building of the historic Mannum–Adelaide pipeline from the River Murray to the water-short city of Adelaide was a key delay in South Para's construction; that pipeline today disperses water into the reservoir.[2]
Immediately downstream from the dam wall, water is diverted from a weir to the Barossa Reservoir via an underground tunnel. This water is then treated and supplies Adelaide's northern suburbs including Elizabeth, Smithfield, Gawler and adjacent settlements.[3]: 4
SA Water completed a review of the dam's safety 1998 and it recommended increasing the dam wall by approximately 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), raising the spillway crest, and additional safety works. The works were estimated to cost A$8.22 million; and were due to commence in 2012.[3]: 5
Recreation
The reservoir is surrounded by nature reserve and has been a focus for two major revegetation projects, the first in the late 1950s when over 5000 trees and shrubs were planted, and the second as part of the South Australian Government's "Million Trees" initiative.[4]
On 24 June 1979, the mutilated body of 16-year-old male was found after being dumped in the South Para Reservoir. His murder is one of the five cases known as The Family Murders. A pathology report revealed his death was due to blood loss, while toxicology reports showed the presence of alcohol and sedatives.[5]
Gallery
The dam spillway
Bridge over spillway
Water levels in September 2009
See also
References
- ↑ "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 236). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ↑ "South Para Reservoir". SA Water. 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- 1 2 "South Para Dam Flood Mitigation & Remedial Works" (PDF). 408th Report of the Public Works Committee. House of Assembly, Parliament of South Australia. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "South Para Reserve". SA Water. 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ Schriever, Jordanna (29 November 2025). "Chapter closes on 'The Family' murders that stole Adelaide's innocence". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
External links
Media related to South Para Reservoir at Wikimedia Commons
- "Water Storage (Reservoirs)". SA Water. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007.
- "SA Water Reserves". ParksWeb. Government of South Australia.