{{Short description|Dam and power station in central highlands Tasmania}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox dam | name = Wayatinah Dam | name_official = | image = | image_size = 240 | image_caption = | image_alt = | location_map = Australia Tasmania | location_map_size = 240 | location_map_caption = Location of the dam in [[Tasmania]] | location_map_alt = | mapframe = yes | coordinates = {{coord|-42.400041|146.493931|region:AU-TAS_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | country = Australia | location = [[Central Highlands (Tasmania)|Central Highlands]] [[Tasmania]] | purpose = P | status = O | construction_began = | opening = {{start date|1956}} | demolished = | cost = | owner = [[Hydro Tasmania]] | operator = | dam_type = H | dam_crosses = [[River Derwent (Tasmania)|River Derwent]] | dam_height = {{cvt|24|m}} | dam_height_foundation= | dam_height_thalweg = | dam_length = {{cvt|549|m}} | dam_elevation_crest = | dam_width_crest = | dam_width_base = | dam_volume = {{cvt|125|e3m3}} | spillway_count = 1 | spillway_type = [[Spillway#Types|Uncontrolled]] | spillway_capacity = {{cvt|3115|m3/s}} | res_name = Wayatinah Lagoon | res_capacity_total = {{cvt|8860|ML|acre.ft}} | res_capacity_active = | res_capacity_inactive= | res_catchment = {{cvt|2112|km2}} | res_surface = {{cvt|24.1|ha}} | res_max_length = | res_max_width = | res_max_depth = | res_elevation = {{cvt|232|m}} {{AHD}} | res_tidal_range = | plant_name = Wayatinah Power Station | plant_coordinates = {{coord|42|25|12|S|146|31|48|E|type:landmark}} | plant_operator = [[Hydro Tasmania]] | plant_commission = {{start date|1957}} | plant_decommission = | plant_type = R | plant_hydraulic_head = {{cvt|56|m}} | plant_turbines = 3 x {{cvt|15.3|MW}}<br />[[English Electric]] [[Francis turbine|Francis-type]] | plant_capacity = {{cvt|38.3|MW}} | plant_capacity_factor= 0.85 | plant_annual_gen = {{cvt|440|GWh}} | website = {{URL|hydro.com.au/energy/our-power-stations/derwent-0/wayatinah|hydro.com.au}} | extra = <ref name=ANCOLD/> }} The '''Wayatinah Dam''' is a rock-filled [[embankment dam]] with earthen core across the [[Derwent River (Tasmania)|Lower River Derwent]], located near the small settlement of {{TAScity|Wayatinah}}, in the [[Central Highlands (Tasmania)|Central Highlands]] region of [[Tasmania]], Australia. Completed in 1983, the resultant [[reservoir]], Wayatinah Lagoon, was established for the purpose of generation of [[hydroelectricity]] via the adjacent '''Wayatinah Power Station''', a [[Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity|run-of-the-river]] hydroelectric [[power station]].

The dam, its reservoir, and the power station are owned and operated by [[Hydro Tasmania]]. The [[etymology]] of the word ''wayatinah'' is derived from a [[Aboriginal Tasmanians|Tasmanian]] [[Australian Aboriginal languages|Aboriginal word]] meaning "brook" or "stream".<ref>{{cite blog |author=Grant, Duncan |url=https://www.churchesoftasmania.com/2024/08/no-1508-wayatinah-st-joseph-worker.html |title=No. 1508 - Wayatinah - St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church |work=Churches of Tasmania |date=2024-08-05 |access-date=2026-04-24 }}</ref><ref name=Placename>{{cite web |url=https://www.placenames.tas.gov.au/#p1 |title=Placenames Tasmania – Wayatinah |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= |publisher=Placenames Tasmania |access-date=5 Jun 2020 |at=Select “Search”, enter "649M", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”}}</ref>

== Dam and reservoir overview == The [[rockfill dam]] wall is {{convert|24|m}} high and {{convert|549|m}} long. When full, the Wayatinah Lagoon has capacity of {{convert|8860|ML|acre.ft|lk=on}} and covers {{convert|24.1|ha}}, drawn from a [[drainage basin|catchment area]] of {{convert|2112|km2}}. The [[Spillway#Types|uncontrolled spillway]] has a flow capacity of {{convert|3115|m3/s}}.<ref name=ANCOLD>{{cite web |title=Register of Large Dams Australia-2015 |date=January 2022 |access-date=2026-03-05 |url=https://ancold.org.au/information-resources/dams-information/ |work=[[ANCOLD]] |format=[[Microsoft Excel|Excel]]. Requires download. Row 536}}</ref>

== Hydroelectric power station == Part of the [[River Derwent (Tasmania)|Derwent]] scheme that comprises eleven hydroelectric power stations, the Wayatinah Power Station is the sixth power station in the scheme and the second power station in the lower run-of-river system. The aboveground power station is located on the Derwent, below its junction with the Nive River. Water from the Derwent from [[Liapootah Power Station]] and spill from Liapootah Dam flows into Wayatinah Lagoon. Water in the lagoon is diverted by a {{convert|2|km|adj=on}}-long tunnel to two low pressure woodstave pipelines, each {{convert|1.3|km}} long. It then descends {{convert|56|m}} through three steel [[penstocks]] to the Wayatinah Power Station. The tunnel intake structure is provided with two vertical lift, gravity close intake gates designed to cut off full flow. Each of the three steel penstocks is provided with a hilltop valve designed to close under full flow.<ref name=hydrotech/><ref name=hydro>{{cite web |url=http://www.hydro.com.au/energy/our-power-stations/derwent-0/wayatinah-power-station |title=Derwent: Wayatinah Power Station |work=Energy |publisher=[[Hydro Tasmania]] |access-date=5 July 2015}}</ref>

The power station was commissioned in 1957 by the [[Hydro Tasmania|Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS)]] and the station has three {{convert|15.3|MW|adj=on}} [[English Electric]] [[Francis turbine|Francis]] [[Water turbine|turbines]], with a combined generating capacity of {{convert|38.3|MW}} of electricity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wayatinah Power Station&mdash;Conservation Management Plan |author=Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd |author2=Terry, Ian |date=April 2007 |url=http://www.hydro.com.au/system/files/documents/Cultural_heritage/conservation_mgmt_plan_liapootah.pdf |access-date=1 February 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Within the station building, each turbine has a fully embedded spiral casing and water flow is controlled by a spherical rotary main inlet valve and a turbine relief valve designed to prevent spiral casing overpressure. The station output, estimated to be {{convert|440|GWh|TJ|lk=on}} annually,<ref name=ANCOLD/> is fed to [[TasNetworks]]' transmission grid via an 11&nbsp;k[[voltage|V]]/220&nbsp;kV three-phase English Electric generator transformer to the outdoor switchyard. An 11&nbsp;kV indoor switchgear system also supplies a distribution yard that supplies power to the local area from Wayatinah village to {{TAScity|Hamilton}} and includes the power stations of Liapootah, Wayatinah, [[Catagunya Power Station|Catagunya]], [[Repulse Power Station|Repulse]] and [[Cluny Power Station|Cluny]].<ref name=hydrotech>{{cite web |url=http://www.hydro.com.au/system/files/attachments/Wayatinah_Power_Station-Fact-Sheets.pdf |title=Wayatinah Power Station Fact Sheet: Technical fact sheet |work=Energy: Our power stations |publisher=[[Hydro Tasmania]] |access-date=16 January 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924033542/http://www.hydro.com.au/system/files/attachments/Wayatinah_Power_Station-Fact-Sheets.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also == {{stack|{{Portal|Renewable energy|Australia|Water}}}} * [[List of power stations in Tasmania]] * [[List of reservoirs and dams in Australia#Tasmania|List of reservoirs and dams in Tasmania]] * [[List of run-of-the-river hydroelectric power stations]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{cite web |work=[[Hydro Tasmania]] |url=http://www.hydro.com.au/home/Energy/Tasmanian+Hydro+Electric+Schemes/Catchment+Areas/Derwent+Catchment/The+Lower+Derwent.htm |title=Lower Derwent Catchment |date= |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060919104726/http://www.hydro.com.au/home/Energy/Tasmanian+Hydro+Electric+Schemes/Catchment+Areas/Derwent+Catchment/The+Lower+Derwent.htm |archive-date=19 September 2006 }} * {{cite web |url=https://walkingthederwent.com/tag/wayatinah-dam/ |title=Wayatinah Dam |work=Walking the Derwent |date=2015-10-22 |access-date=2026-04-24 }}

{{River Derwent Dams|state=collapsed}} {{Dams in Tasmania|state=collapsed}} {{EnergyTasmania}} {{CentralHighlandsTasmania |state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:1956 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Central Highlands (Tasmania)]] [[Category:Dams completed in 1956]] [[Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1957]] [[Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Tasmania]] [[Category:Hydro Tasmania dams]] [[Category:Rock-filled dams]] [[Category:Run-of-the-river power stations]]