The East Leichhardt Dam is a rock-filled embankment dam built across the East Leichhardt River, located at Mary Kathleen, 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Mount Isa, in north-western Queensland, Australia. Completed in 1961, the resultant reservoir, Lake Mary Kathleen, was built for the emergency supply of water for the now-closed Mary Kathleen uranium mine. However, Lake Corella was sufficient and the reservoir is now used for recreation purposes,[1] located on private property.
| East Leichhardt Dam | |
|---|---|
  East Leichhardt Dam Location of the dam in Queensland | |
 Interactive map of East Leichhardt Dam | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Mary Kathleen, near Mount Isa, North-west Queensland |
| Coordinates | 20°46′42″S 139°47′04″E / 20.778324°S 139.78446°E |
| Purpose |
|
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1961 |
| Built by | Thiess Bros. |
| Owner | Located on private property |
| Operators | Department of Natural Resources and Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Rock-fill dam |
| Impounds | East Leichhardt River |
| Height (foundation) | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Length | 160 m (520 ft) |
| Dam volume | 115×103 m3 (4.1×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 2,430 m3/s (86,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Mary Kathleen |
| Total capacity | 12,100 ML (9,800 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 550 km2 (210 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 150 ha (370 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 355 m (1,165 ft) AHD |
Overview
editAccess to the dam is via the Barkly Highway, with the dam wall situated approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) south of the highway.
The dam is 27 metres (89 ft) high, 160 metres (520 ft) long, and holds back 12,100 megalitres (9,800 acre⋅ft) of water when at full capacity. The reservoir covers a surface area of 150 hectares (370 acres) that is drawn from a catchment area of 550 square kilometres (210 sq mi).[2][3]
See also
edit
References
edit- ↑ "The Southern Gulf Water Resource Assessment: Summary Report" (PDF). CSIRO for the National Water Grid. Australian Government. p. 8. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ↑ "East Leichhardt Dam". Community access to state-owned dams and weirs | Dams and catchment areas. Queensland Government. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ↑ "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 161). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
External links
edit- "East Leichardt Dam / Mary Kathleen Information". SweetFishing.com.au.
- Robertson, Edward (2018) [1961]. "East Leichhardt dam, Mount Isa Shire" (image of a slide). Centre for the Government of Queensland. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- Elliott, John (2 February 2026). "Special Places: The East Leichhardt Dam" (image). Retrieved 2 March 2026 – via Facebook.
- East Leichhardt Dam on YouTube
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