The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-07-04
BURRINJUCk DAM,
NEW SOUTH WALES
One Of the irrigation MaryeIs Of
the World.

GlgafiOh areas.
The surroundings II BurrInJuck pre-
sent scene OF Wild aud rugged
grandeur, and as the train approaches
the terminus, gIlmpses are caught OF
the great inland Sea. Indeed in IL n
verlfnbie sea. for All the nayIes Of the
world could lie on Its bosom and then
there would room 70 spare for the
Mercantile Marine az well.
The biggest warshp ever built could
ride ~ anchor al Burriniuck and there
would SIN be a hundred feet Of water
under her keel A couple Of years
ngo here and there could be seen the
dying tops OF giant gum trees which
had fringed the course Of the two riv-
rrs, but they hive long since gone I'M
der, and smart motor boats skim
she surface many feet above the sub
merged trunks. Also number OF
homesteads. which nestled In the lone
some valleys. are likewise buried faith
oms deep. Their dispossessed owners
were well compensated by the State,
md the little homesteads had To go In
order that d score or two OF holdings
might emerge on the RIyerina plains.
The dam ranks fourth among the
great Irrigation achievements OF the
world. The formation at the site Of
the dam Is fine-graned hard red
granite. ana on either side OF the dam
the hills rise steepy 20 a height OF
2 600 feet. Al about mile above the
dam the gorge opens out Into large
basin, which formerly included the
junction Of the Goodradlgbee and MUIR
rumhldgee Rivers,
When the dam Is fun the area Of
this portion Of the storage VIII be
about $500 acres. with depth OF wa
ter over a large portion OF from 1870 10
100 feet Above this basin the rivers
again enter the hills, opening out into
smaller areas Of submerged Oats here
aud there, which will stlll further in
crease the area OF the storage Some
~ miles above the dam the Yass River
falls Into the general storage. Water
VIII be eventually held up the Yass
River TO - miles, up the uoodradigbee
River 10 10 miles, and up the Murrum-
bidgce River 20 ~ miles above the
dun.
The Berembed division weir Is sit
Iated 240 miles by river below Bur-
rlngmek Dam. Here the water Is d.
verted from the river into the main
scanal. Eventually the main canal win
extend 60 about 100 miles from Berem-
bed. AZ present Il terminates near
Griffith, about 90 miles from the
Berembed takeoff to Yanco. Where
the canal practically enters the area.
the distance from Berembed Weir Is
40 miles.
The estimated capacity Of the dam
IS 1852, 6Ti 900 cubic feet, or 1854
acre feet The full supply level win
ne az II. l.. 1850 above water spring
tides. sydney or 200 feet above the In
vert OF the draln.off pipes.
In the course Of year or so Bur
triniuck will come into Its own MS one
of the most attractive resorts for
pleasure and recreation in the States.
for the vast utllltarlan undertaking
'reposes amidst most picturesque sur
roundings, and fishing boating. swim
ming. shooting viii offer considerable
attraction 20 the tourist and holiday
maker, who wishes to make trip 200
miles inland from Sydney.
When the fall Is completed II will
hold more water than sydney Harbor,
aud lbs bays and valleys viii be just
as numerous, while the surrounding
country Is more rugged and inspiring
than that which surrounds Port Jack.
son. There among those steep and
formidable mountains TO height OF
200 feet the dam backs the water AZ
miles. The ruling grade Is only 8 feet
ner mile. From the dam to Yanco.
the great Irrigation model OF New
South Wales. via the water route is
$50 miles, and the fall of the whole
of that total distance Is only about 600
feet. showing how the low grade en-
ables those AREAS so fur distant from
the supply TO be watered entirely by
gravitation.
The farms allotted and available for
disposal on the AIurrumbldgee Irri-
cation Areas are Of varying sizes and
of varying quality. with the result that
the lines of industry followed by the
settlers cover wide range
There are farms OF from . to go
acres IN extent. and the chief indus
tries carried ON are dairylng, which in
many cases Is associated with pig
raising. fruit growing. yitieulture and
vegetable growing
The usual variety OF fruits grown
under irrigation conditions in other
parts Of the world are being produced
on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation
Areas and the Yanco Experiment
Farm Is a useful object lesson avail
able for the instruction OF settlers Ii
the growth Of these fruits, and al
though the settlement is still young
phenomenal crops Of aprieots
peaches, citrus fruits and grapes hay'
been obtained by the settlers on tn
various soils suitable for the produc
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