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by The Unified Electorates of Ainslie. . 21 reads.

Deering Dam

Deering Dam
Categories: Ainslie | Infrastructure

.........Deering Dam.........


Image: Deering Dam

Attributes

Location: Carlana, Wesland
Purpose: Potable water supply, flood mitigation, hydroelectric power generation
Status: Operational
Construction: 1973 - 1981
Owners: Eastern Water
Type of Dam: Gravity dam
Water Sources: Deering River, Carlana Creek, Serentah River
Creates: Lake Carlana
Height: 156m (ft conversion)
Length: 363m
Width (base): 100m
Dam volume: WIP
Spillways: Six
Power Operator: AhnElec
Commissioning Date: 1983

Deering Dam, a concrete gravity dam, is a secondary reservoir for the water supply of Arnton, the capital of Ainslie, and serves as the primary reservoir for the next largest Wesland city, Herriden. It creates Lake Carana, using the flows of the Deering River, the Serantah River and Carlana Creek. These rivers along with the heavily damed Barradar River form a the Central Catchment.

The dam wall is forty six kilometres northeast of Arnton, on the western edge of the town of Carlana. It was constructed between 1973 and 1981 following a recognition of significantly increased rates of population growth in the urban areas which link and ultimately surround Herriden and Arnton. The dam was modified in 2014 in order to upgrade electronic systems and monitoring equipment. The dam is located within the boundaries Central Wesland Regional Council in the electorate of Wesland.

The dam was designed and it’s construction coordinated by the Wesland Electorate Resource Management Authority (WERMA) and is administered by Eastern Water, an agency of the Wesland Government which underwent a process of corporatisation in 2013. A hydroelectric power station forms a component of the dam and was designed to offset the electricity needs of Carlana and nearby farming properties.

Water Management
The Deering Dam is used primarily for Herriden's water supply and for the agricultural needs of much of Central-Northern Wesland. However, in significant rain events, the Deering Dam offers what is arguably the most substantial defence against significant flooding an area filled with hills and valleys. The Deering Dam can reach 140% capacity before there is a need to fully release water into the Lower Deering River, which effectively can triple or quadruple in height in a safe manner as a result of well-designed planning and zoning laws around the Deering. Furthermore, since the Deering flows into the Barradar, Sarin and the Titania River, the water will typically be spread across multiple different systems.

In the event of a drought, it can also effectively control flows down towards the lower portions of the river and use its pipelines to secure both the Arnton and Herriden potable water networks. Access to the dam can be made via Carlana Road off the Federal Highway, which runs between Arnton and Port Blaxland.

Catchment
The Deering Dam has a significant catchment which it shares with the Kenara Dam which supplies Kianara. The surrounding sections of the Dam, which make up 25% of the total catchment are considered as restricted access areas. The rest of the catchment is mostly made up of national park, farmland and small towns such as Carlana, who have to comply with certain regulations regarding wastewater. The Dam was designed partially as a flood control measure and has proven effective at this secondary role.

Dam Levels
The Deering Dam does not often experience consistent, prolonged water shortages, however sharp snaps of droughts do happen - a situation like this resulted in the Deering Dam reaching 26.9% of capacity on the 21st of June 2001, the lowest it has ever been. In this situation, the local councils imposed severe water restrictions on rural residents and moderately strong restrictions on Herriden residents. This sparked suspicions that the dam management was working to serve city interests over farmers and smaller towns who are more closer an reliant to the dam’s water levels.

The remnants of a cyclone in 2015 led to the Dam experiencing its highest dam level at 113%, forcing water managers to release a small-moderate amount of additional water into the Lower Deering River. On a yearly basis, the dam typically peaks in early spring as the snow and frost melts off of the Border Ranges. In late summer it experiences what is typically the lowest levels of the year.

Recreation
The areas around the Deering Dam are relatively popular with long-range hikers who use the limited amount of tracks as a thoroughfare into Carlana and Kianara, which are popular towns for bushwalkers and adventurers. The Dam has picnic facilities but they are mainly used by locals over tourists as a result of the Dam’s relatively isolated location.


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The Unified Electorates of Ainslie

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