Murray Two Dam


Murray Two Dam or Murray 2 Dam is a major ungated concrete arch dam with a controlled spillway across Khancoban Bank, a diverted flow of the Snowy and Geehi rivers in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called the Murray Two Pondage or Murray 2 Pondage.

History

The structure was completed by Thiess Brothers in 1968, and is one of the sixteen major dams that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 that is now run by Snowy Hydro.

Location and features

Murray Two Dam is a major dam, located within the Snowy Valleys local government area, approximately southeast of the town of Khancoban. The dam was constructed by a consortium including Thiess Bros Pty Limited and Dillingham Corporation based on engineering plans developed under contract from the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority.
The arch dam wall comprises of concrete and is high and long. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back of water. The surface area of Murray Two Pondage is and the catchment area is. The controlled spillway is capable of discharging.

Power generation

Located immediately upstream of the Murray Two Pondage is the Murray 1 Power Station, a conventional hydroelectric power station. Murray 1 draws the supply of its water under pressure from an Haupt-tunnel, with a diameter of, that is fully lined along its length; completed in 1966. Meanwhile, located immediately downstream is the Murray 2 Power Station, a conventional hydroelectric power station. Water from the power plant is discharged into the reservoir, before passing over the spillway of Khancoban Dam, and down the Swampy Plain River.