# Murchison Dam

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Dam and reservoir in Tasmania, Australia

Dam in Western Tasmania

Murchison Dam Interactive map of Murchison Dam Country Australia Location Western Tasmania Coordinates 41°46′56″S 145°38′46″E / 41.782169°S 145.646031°E / -41.782169; 145.646031 Purpose Power Status Operational Construction began 1978 (1978) Opening date 1982 (1982) Built by Hydro-Electric Commission (TAS) Owner Hydro Tasmania Dam and spillways Type of dam Rock-fill dam Impounds Murchison River Height (foundation) 93 m (305 ft) Length 217 m (712 ft) Dam volume 910×10^3 m3 (32×10^6 cu ft) Spillways 1 Spillway type Uncontrolled Spillway length 160 m (520 ft) Spillway capacity 1,910 m3/s (67,000 cu ft/s) Reservoir Creates Lake Murchison Total capacity 96,910 ML (78,570 acre⋅ft) Catchment area 750 km2 (290 sq mi) Surface area 408 ha (1,010 acres) Normal elevation 222 m (728 ft) [1][2]

The **Murchison Dam** is a concrete-faced rock-filled [embankment dam](/source/Embankment_dam) across the [Murchison River](/source/Murchison_River_(Tasmania)), located near [Tullah](/source/Tullah%2C_Tasmania), within the northern part of the [West Coast Range](/source/West_Coast_Range), in the [western](/source/Western_Tasmania) region of [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania), Australia. Completed in 1982 by the [Hydro-Electric Commission (TAS)](/source/Hydro_Tasmania), the resultant [reservoir](/source/Reservoir#Hydroelectricity), **Lake Murchison**, was created for the purposes of generation of [hydroelectricity](/source/Hydroelectricity) as part of the [Pieman Power Development](/source/Pieman_River_Power_Development). In addition to impounding the Murchison River, the dam's reservoir is also fed by the George Creek, the [Anthony River](/source/Anthony_River_(Tasmania)), and discharge from the [Tribute Power Station](/source/Tribute_Power_Station).

The dam is owned and operated by [Hydro Tasmania](/source/Hydro_Tasmania).

## Location and features

The concrete-faced [rock-filled dam](/source/Rock-filled_dam) wall is 93 metres (305 ft) high and 217 metres (712 ft) long. When full, the reservoir has capacity of 96,910 [megalitres](/source/Megalitre) (78,570 [acre⋅ft](/source/Acre-foot)) and covers 408 to 450 hectares (1,010 to 1,110 acres), drawn from a [catchment area](/source/Drainage_basin) of 750 square kilometres (290 sq mi). The [uncontrolled spillway](/source/Spillway#Types) has a flow capacity of 1,910 cubic metres per second (67,000 cu ft/s).[1][3] The spillway is 13 metres (43 ft) wide at the base, 10 metres (33 ft) high, 160 metres (520 ft) long, and is cut into [dolerite](/source/Dolerite) bedrock.[4]

Water from Lake Murchison is diverted to [Lake Mackintosh](/source/Lake_Mackintosh) and the [Mackintosh Power Station](/source/Mackintosh_Power_Station) by the 2-kilometre-long (1.2 mi) Sophia Tunnel,[5] as part of the Pieman power development that was completed in 1987.[6]

Upstream of the Murchison Dam is the White Spur Lake and dam, [Henty Dam](/source/Henty_Dam) and its reservoir, Lake Newton and dam, Lake Plimsoll and [Anthony Dam](/source/Anthony_Dam), and the Tribute Power Station. Downstream from the Murchison Dam is Lake Mackintosh, Tullabardine Dam, Mackintosh Dam, Mackintosh Power Station, [Lake Rosebery](/source/Lake_Rosebery_(Tasmania)), [Bastyan Dam](/source/Bastyan_Dam), [Bastyan Power Station](/source/Bastyan_Power_Station), [Lake Pieman](/source/Lake_Pieman), Reece Dam and the [Reece Power Station](/source/Reece_Power_Station).

Hydro Tasmania completed an A$31–million upgrade of the dam wall and spillway to improve flood capacity. The crest wall was raised by 3 metres (9.8 ft), completed in 2020; and the spillway's right chute wall was raised between 2 to 5 metres (6 ft 7 in to 16 ft 5 in), completed in 2025. Given the remote location of the dam wall, access to the facility proved challenging.[4][7][8][9]

## Etymology

The name of the dam is derived from the Murchison River and the adjacent [Mount Murchison](/source/Mount_Murchison%2C_Tasmania).

## See also

- [Australia portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Australia)
- [Water portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Water)
- [Renewable energy portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Renewable_energy)

- [List of reservoirs and dams in Tasmania](/source/List_of_reservoirs_and_dams_in_Australia#Tasmania)

- [List of power stations in Tasmania](/source/List_of_power_stations_in_Tasmania)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ANCOLD_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ANCOLD_1-1) ["Register of Large Dams Australia-2015"](https://ancold.org.au/information-resources/dams-information/) ([Excel](/source/Microsoft_Excel). Requires download. Row 370). *[ANCOLD](/source/ANCOLD)*. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Map of Lake Murchison, TAS"](http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=168398&cmd=sp). *Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia*. n.d. Retrieved 21 June 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["West Coast power stations | Pieman power scheme"](https://www.hydro.com.au/our-energy-system/our-power-stations/west-coast). *[Hydro Tasmania](/source/Hydro_Tasmania)*. 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WP_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WP_4-1) ["Upgrading Murchison Dam"](https://www.waterpowermagazine.com/analysis/upgrading-murchison-dam/). *International Water Power and Dam Construction*. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["The Pieman Catchment"](https://web.archive.org/web/20041204133432/http://www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism+and+Recreation/Pieman+Catchment/). *[Hydro Tasmania](/source/Hydro_Tasmania)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism%2Band%2BRecreation/Pieman%2BCatchment/) on 4 December 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Project Pieman: Murchison*](http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21152789) (Map). [Hydro-Electric Commission](/source/Hydro_Tasmania) and the Dept. of Lands and Surveys (Tasmania). 1970. Sheet 51. § C. Retrieved 9 June 2015 – via Trove. [National Library of Australia](/source/National_Library_of_Australia).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["$31 million upgrade for West Coast's Murchison Dam"](https://www.hydro.com.au/articles/energy-industry/31-million-upgrade-west-coasts-murchison-dam). *[Hydro Tasmania](/source/Hydro_Tasmania)*. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Murchison Dam Spillway Upgrade"](https://hazellbros.com.au/project/murchison-dam-spillway-upgrade/). *Hazel Brothers*. 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Giudici, Oliver (20 March 2024). ["News from Tasmania – Murchison Dam Spillway Upgrade"](https://ancold.org.au/news-from-tasmania-murchison-dam-spillway-upgrade/). *[ANCOLD](/source/ANCOLD)*. Retrieved 21 April 2026.

## External links

- [*Pieman catchment*](https://www.hydro.com.au/images/default-source/clean-energy-page/our-schemes/pieman/pieman-catchment.png?sfvrsn=ded71628_4) (Map). [Hydro Tasmania](/source/Hydro_Tasmania). 2018.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

- [Stephenson, David](/source/David_Stephenson_(photographer)) (1982). [*Murchison River and debris before flooding of Lake Murchison, Tasmania*](https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/92.1985/) (3 gelatin silver photographs). Retrieved 21 April 2026 – via [Art Gallery of New South Wales](/source/Art_Gallery_of_New_South_Wales).

v t e Dams and reservoirs in Tasmania, Australia Central Highlands Arthurs Lake Catagunya Clark Cluny Lake Binney Lake Echo Liapootah Meadowbank Miena Pine Tier Repulse Wayatinah King Island Upper Grassy North East Briseis Cascade Clarence Curries River Duck Reach Weir Frome Monarch Mount Paris North West Guide River Henty Pet River White Spur Northern Augusta Cethana Devils Gate Ford Mackenzie Meander Paloona Parangana Rowallan Taylor No. 3 Trevally Wilmot South Craigbourne Flagstaff Gully Hall No. 2 Knights Creek Limekiln Gully Lower Reservoir Ridgeway Rileys Creek Risdon Brook Stanton South West Edgar Gordon Laughing Jack Scotts Peak Serpentine Western Anthony and levee Bastyan and levee Crotty Darwin Mackintosh Tullabardine Margaret Murchison Newton Reece Decommissioned Tolosa Park Category | List

v t e Western region of Tasmania, Australia Cities and other settlements Queenstown Crotty Darwin Dundas Gormanston Guildford Linda Pillinger Regatta Point Rosebery Strahan Tullah Waratah Williamsford Zeehan Governance Braddon (federal) Braddon (state) Franklin Land District Montgomery Land District Montagu Land District West Coast Council Lyell Murchison Zeehan Mountains West Coast Range Black Darwin Dundas Heemskirk Huxley Jukes Lyell Murchison Owen Read Read Volcanics Sedgwick Sorell Strahan Zeehan Tyndall Geikie Tyndall Eldon Eldon Peak Engineer unnamed peak Raglan unnamed peak Sticht unnamed peak National parks Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Rivers Anne Anthony Franklin Gordon Henty King Lea Mackintosh Murchison Pieman Queen Sophia Lakes Beatrice Burbury Dora Gordon Mackintosh Murchison Pieman Rosebery Westwood Dams Anthony Crotty Darwin Gordon Henty Mackintosh Tullabardine Lake Margaret Murchison Reece Power stations Anthony Power Development Bastyan Gordon John Butters Lake Margaret Mackintosh Reece Tribute Transport Anthony Road Hercules Haulage Lyell Highway Murchison Highway Queenstown Airport Strahan Airport Railways Emu Bay Macquarie Heads breakwater Melba Mount Dundas-Zeehan North East Dundas North Mount Lyell Wee Georgie Wood West Coast Wilderness Zeehan-Strahan Railway stations and former railway stations Queenstown Zeehan Landmarks Natural Birchs Inlet Cape Sorell Darwin Crater Granville Harbour Hells Gates Iron Blow Kelly Basin Linda Valley Macquarie Harbour Montezuma Falls Nelson Falls Ocean Beach Trial Harbour Man-made Cape Sorell Lighthouse Gaiety Theatre Galley Museum Paragon Theatre Queenstown Oval People of note Convicts on the West Coast Crotty Davey Gould Joyce Long Moore Pearce Piguenit Piners Sticht Whitham Mining Comstock Mine Copper Mines Henty Gold Mine Mount Jukes Mine sites Mount Lyell Mining & Railway Company Mount Lyell Remediation and Research and Demonstration Program North Mount Lyell North Mount Lyell Disaster (1912) Renison Bell Stichtite West Coast Tasmania Mines Books and newspapers For the Term of His Natural Life Gould's Book of Fish The Peaks of Lyell West Coast Miner Zeehan & Dundas Herald Other Darwin glass The Unconformity Round Earth Theatre Company Tasmanian West bioregion Western Tasmanian Football Association Western Tasmanian languages

v t e Energy in Tasmania Hydroelectric Derwent Butlers Gorge Catagunya Cluny Lake Echo Liapootah Meadowbank Nieterana Repulse Tarraleah Tungatinah Wayatinah Gordon-Pedder Gordon Franklin Dam controversy Mersey-Forth Cethana Devils Gate Fisher Lemonthyme Paloona Parangana Rowallan Wilmot West Coast King John Butters Lake Margaret Pieman / Anthony Bastyan Mackintosh Reece Tribute Yingina / Great Lake Poatina Tods Corner Trevallyn Others Huntsman Decommissioned Duck Reach Moorina Waddamana Waddamana B Wind farms Granville Harbour Musselroe Woolnorth Cattle Hill Huxley Hill (King Island) Natural gas Tamar Valley Decommissioned Bell Bay Organisations Alinta Aurora Powerco Hydro Tasmania Roaring 40s TasNetworks Former Transend Networks Interconnectors Basslink Planned Marinus Link Other Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator 2016 Tasmanian energy crisis List of power stations in Tasmania

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Murchison Dam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_Dam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_Dam?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.