Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1919-07-05
BURR|NJUCK DAM,
new SOUTH WALES
One of the Irrigation MarveIs of
the World.

Burrlnjuck Dam, the source of the
water supply of the Murrumbidgee r.
rigation Areas
The surroundings of Burrinjuck pre-
sent scene of wild and rugged
grandeur, and as the train approaches
the terminus, glimpses are caught of
the great inland sea. Indeed in 1t a
veritable sea, for all the navies of the
world could lie on Its bosom and then
there would room to spare for the
Mercantile Marine as well.
The biggest warship ever built could
ride at anchor at Burrlnjuck and there
would still be a hundred feet of water
ago here and there could be seen the
dying tops Of giant gum trees which
had fringed the course of the two riv
ers. but they have long since gone I'M
der, and smart motor boats skim
the surface many feet above the SUBJ
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,
and the little homesteads had to go in
order that a score or two of holdings
might emerge on the Riverina plains.
The dam ranks fourth among the
great irrigation achievements Of the
world. The formation at the site of
the dam is fine-grained hard red
granite, and on either side of the dam
the hills rise steeply to a height of
1000 feet. At about Il mile above the
dam the gorge opens out into large
basin, which formerly included the
junction of the Goodradigbee and Muir
rumbidgee Rivers.
When the dam is full the area of
this portion of the storage will be
about $500 acres, with a depth of wa
ter over a large portion of from 100 to
$50 feet. Above this basin the rivers
again enter the hills, opening out into
smaller areas of submerged flats here
and there, which will still further in
crease the area of the storage. Some
10 miles above the dam the Yass River
falls into the general storage. Water
will be eventually held up the Yass
River to % miles, up the Goodradigbee
River to 10 miles, and up the Murrum-
bidgee River to AZ miles above the
dam.
The Berembed division weir is sit
uated 240 miles by river below Bur-
ringjuck Dam. Here the water is di-
verted from the river into the main
canal Eventually the main canal will
extend to about 120 miles from Berem-
bed At present it terminates near
Griffith, about 80 miles from the
Berembed take-off to Yanco. Where
the canal practically enters the area,
the distance from Berembed Weir is
45 miles.
The estimated capacity of the dam
1852 ,671 900 cubic feet, or I'll ,641
acre feet. The full supply level will
be at II. L. 1,1S0 above water spring
tides, Sydney, or 200 feet above the In
vert of the drain-off pipes.
In the course of a year or so Bur-
rinjuck will come into Its own as one
of the most attractive resorts for
pleasure and recreation in the States,
| for the vast utilitarian undertaking
| reposes amidst most picturesque sur
roundings, and fishing, boating, swim
| ming shooting will offer considerable
attraction to the tourist and holiday
maker, who wishes to make a trip 2OO
miles inland from Sydney.
When the fall is completed it will
, hold more water than Sydney Harbor
and its bays and valleys will 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
| 200 feet the dam backs the water 4.
miles, The ruling grade is only 5 feet
| per 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 GOO
| feet, showing how the low grade en-
| ables those areas so far distant from
| the supply to be watered entirely by
gravitation.
The farms allotted and xvailable fol-
| disposal on the Murrumbidgee Irri
CATION Areas are of varying sizes ami
Of varying quality. with the result that
| the lines of industry followed by the
settlers cover wide range.
There are farms of from . to 25C
acres In extent, and the chief indus
| tries carried on are dalrying, which in
many cases is associated with pig
raising. fruit growing, viticulture 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 useful object lesson avail
able for the instruction of settlers In
the growth of these fruits, and al
though the settlement is still young