# Rocklands Dam

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Dam in Victoria, Australia

Dam in Wimmera, Victoria

Rocklands Dam Interactive map of Rocklands Dam Country Australia Location Wimmera, Victoria Coordinates 37°14′05″S 141°57′36″E / 37.234617°S 141.959968°E / -37.234617; 141.959968 Purpose Water supply Status Operational Construction began 1938 Opening date 1953 Owner GWM Water Dam and spillways Type of dam Gravity dam Rock-filled dam Impounds Glenelg River Height 24 m (79 ft) Length 490 m (1,610 ft) Dam volume 69×10^3 m3 (2.4×10^6 cu ft) Spillways 1 Spillway type Uncontrolled Spillway capacity 764 m3/s (27,000 cu ft/s) Reservoir Creates Rocklands Reservoir Total capacity 348,310 ML (282,380 acre⋅ft) Active capacity 261,510 ML (212,010 acre⋅ft) Catchment area 1,380 km2 (530 sq mi) Surface area 6,850 ha (16,900 acres) Maximum water depth 17 m (56 ft) Normal elevation 195.5 m (641 ft) AHD Website gwmwater.org.au [1]

The **Rocklands Dam** is a [gravity dam](/source/Gravity_dam) with rock-filled [embankments](/source/Embankment_dam) across the [Glenelg River](/source/Glenelg_River_(Victoria)), located in the [Wimmera](/source/Wimmera) region of [Victoria](/source/Victoria_(state)), Australia. Completed in 1953, the resultant [eponymous](/source/Eponymous) [reservoir](/source/Reservoir), the **Rocklands Reservoir**, was created for the [supply](/source/Water_supply) of [potable water](/source/Potable_water) for the region. The dam and reservoir are the largest operated by Grampians–Wimmera–Mallee Water (GWMWater).

## Dam and reservoir overview

### Dam

Construction of the dam began in 1938; however, during [World War II](/source/World_War_II), construction ceased, recommenced in 1950, and the dam was completed in 1953. The concrete-faced dam wall is 24 metres (79 ft) high and 490 metres (1,610 ft) long. When full, the resultant reservoir has a storage capacity of 348.31 [gigalitres](/source/Gigalitre) (282,380 [acre⋅ft](/source/Acre-foot)) and covers 6,850 hectares (16,900 acres), drawn from a [catchment area](/source/Drainage_basin) of 1,380 square kilometres (530 sq mi). The [uncontrolled spillway](/source/Spillway#Types) has a discharge capacity of 764 cubic metres per second (27,000 cu ft/s).[1] The main wall is flanked by two 15-metre-high (49 ft) embankment sections.[2]

### Reservoir

Originally constructed to supply the Wimmera-Mallee Domestic and Stock channel system, water held by the reservoir is now used for many different purposes. A unique feature of the reservoir is that all entitlement holders, including the environment,[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] are able to be supplied with water from the reservoir.

The reservoir is a popular recreational boating location, with [powerboating](/source/Powerboating), [water skiing](/source/Water_skiing) and [jet skiing](/source/Personal_watercraft) allowed. Camping is permitted in designated areas. During the [duck hunting](/source/Duck_hunting) season, duck shooting is allowed. It is also a popular fishing spot, with [Murray cod](/source/Murray_cod), [redfin](/source/European_perch), [trout](/source/Trout) and [carp](/source/Eurasian_carp) taken at all times of the year. The reservoir was one of the premier carp fishing destinations in the late 1990s and early 2000s with carp in excess of 10 kilograms (22 lb) regularly caught.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The reservoir is listed on the [Southern Grampians Shire](/source/Southern_Grampians_Shire) local government [heritage register](/source/Victorian_Heritage_Inventory).[3]

## See also

- [Victoria portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Victoria)
- [Water portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Water)

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

## 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 428). *[ANCOLD](/source/ANCOLD)*. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Rocklands Reservoir"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140306143828/http://www.gwmwater.org.au/information/information-reservoir-levels/rocklands-reservoir). *GWM Water*. Archived from [the original](http://www.gwmwater.org.au/information/information-reservoir-levels/rocklands-reservoir) on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Rocklands Reservoir, Victorian Heritage Inventory Number H23255"](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/23255). *Victorian Heritage Database*. Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 12 May 2026.

## External links

- [Rocklands Reservoir](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/index.php/places/23255/download-report). *[Victorian Heritage Inventory](/source/Victorian_Heritage_Inventory)* (Report). 1 August 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2026.

v t e Waterways of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment, Victoria, Australia Rivers Chetwynd Crawford Dundas Eumeralla Fitzroy Glenelg Hopkins Merri Moyne Shaw Stokes Surrey Wando Wannon Creeks Back (Ararat) Back (Moyne) Battle Blind (Moyne) Boonawah Brucknell Bryans Burchett Burrumbeet Cox Darlot Deep (Corangamite) Drysdale Dwyer Fiery Good Morning Bill Grange Burn Grays Kangaroo (Glenelg) Konong Wootong Mathers Miakite Moleside Mount Emu Muston Pigeon Ponds Reedy (Ararat) Salt (West Wimmera) Salt (Pyrenees) Spring (Moyne) Springburn Steep Bank Rivulet Trewalla Violet Wattle Hill Lakes (natural) Bolac Bookar Burrumbeet Connewarren Green Hill Goldsmith Linlithgow Muirhead Reservoirs Rocklands Rivers of Victoria Lakes of Victoria Reservoirs in Victoria Glenelg Hopkins catchment

v t e Water supply in Victoria, Australia Greater Metropolitan Melbourne dams and reservoirs Anakie Cardinia Greenvale Maroondah Melton O'Shannassy Silvan Sugarloaf Tarago Thomson Toorourrong Upper Yarra Yan Yean Regional dams and reservoirs Allen Boga Blue Rock Bostock Cairn Curran Candowie Catani Dartmouth Eildon Eppalock Glenmaggie Goulburn/Nagambie Guthridge Korweinguboora Laanecoorie Lauriston Malsmbury Marengo Mokoan Moondara Mulwala Narracan Painkalac Rocklands Stony Creek Upper Coliban Waranga West Barwon West Gellibrand and Olangolah Reservoirs and No.4 & No.5 Basins William Hovell Wurdee Boluc Other water sources / facilities Altona Treatment Plant Eastern Treatment Plant Western Treatment Plant Victorian Desalination Plant Water companies and catchment management authorities Barwon Water Central Highlands Water Coliban Water East Gippsland Water Goulburn–Murray Water Goulburn Valley Water Greater Western Water Melbourne Water South East Water (Australia) Southern Rural Water Yarra Valley Water Catchment Management Authority (Vic) Corangamite CMA East Gippsland CMA Glenelg Hopkins CMA Mallee CMA Port Phillip and Westernport CMA West Gippsland CMA Historical William Davidson William Thwaites Bittern Devilbend Dights Falls Terang City West Water

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rocklands Dam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocklands_Dam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocklands_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.