Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1919-07-04
BURRINJUCK Dam,
new SOUTH WALES
One OF the Irrigation Marvels Of
the World.

water supply of the Murrumbidgee Ir.
rlgation 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 I'm IL
Veritable sen, 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 warshlp ever built could
ride ut anchor Mt Burrinjuck and there
would still he a hundred feet of water
under her keel. A couple of years
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 un-
der, and smart motor boats skim
the 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,
and the little homesteads had to go In
order that n score or two of holdings
might emerge on the Riverlna plains.
The dam ranks fourth among the
great irrigation achievements of the
world. The formation at the site OF
the dam is n fine-grained hard red
granite. and on either side of the dam
the hills rise stecply to height OF
1000 feet. At about mile above the
dam the gorge opens out into large
basin, which formerly included the
junction of the Goodradlgbee and Muir.
rumbidgee Rivers.
When the dam is full the area OF
this portion of the storage will be
about $500 acres, with depth OF wa
ter over II large portion of from 100 to
100 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
13 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-
bdgee River to AZ miles above the
dam.
The Berembed division weir Is sit
uated 24O miles by river below Bur-
ringjuck Dam. Here the water Is d.
verted from the river into the main
canal. Eventually the main canal will
extend to about 100 miles from Berem-
bed At present 1t 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 IL
a. miles.
The estimated capacity of the dam
is 33,G1267l 600 cubic feet, or I'll .64l
acre feet. The full supply level will
be Mt X. l.. 1.1S0 above water spring
tides, sydney or POO feet above the In
vert of the draln-oif pipes.
In the course of year or so Bur
rinjuck viii come into Its own ms one
of the most attractive resorts for
pleasure and recreation in the States,
for the vast utilltarian 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 Il trip 200
miles inland from Sydney.
When the fall Is completed 1t will
hold more water than sydney IIarbor.
and It's 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
formidable mountains to height OF
200 feet the dam backs the water AZ
miles. The ruling grade Is only feet
per mile. From the dam to Yanco.
the great irrigation model OF New
South Wales, via the water route Is
2S0 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 Murrumbidgee Irrl-
gatlon Areas are of varying sizes and
OF varying quality, with the result that
the lines of industry followed by the
settlers cover II wide range.
There are farms of from > to $50
acres In extent, and the chief indus
tries carried on are dalrying, which in
many cases is associated with pig
raising, fruit growing, vitlculture and
vegetable growing.
The usual variety Of fruits grown
under irrigation conditions in other
parts of the world are being produced
on the Murrumbldgee 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.
phenomenal crops of apricots.
peaches, citrus fruits and grapes have
been obtained by the settlers on the
various soils suitable for the produc-
ton of each of these classes.--Adv.
NEW SOUTH WALES