This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Clarrie Hall Dam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clarrie Hall Dam |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Tenterfield, New South Wales |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening | 1971 |
| Dam type | Rockfill embankment |
| Height | 30 m |
| Length | 350 m |
| Reservoir capacity total | 9,950 ML |
| Catchment | 19 km2 |
| Surface | 83 ha |
Clarrie Hall Dam is a small rockfill embankment reservoir located near Tenterfield in northern New South Wales. Constructed in the late 1960s and opened in 1971, it provides potable water and limited flood mitigation for the local township and surrounding Tenterfield Shire. The facility is managed as part of regional water infrastructure linking to broader networks in New South Wales and southeastern Queensland.
The project was initiated during a period of regional infrastructure expansion influenced by policies from the New South Wales State Government and planning by agencies including former state utilities and local councils such as Tenterfield Shire Council. Early proposals referenced water security priorities raised during the post‑war development era alongside initiatives linked to Snowy Mountains Scheme‑era investment patterns. Construction approval drew on consultation with state planning bodies and rural stakeholders represented by organisations like the Country Party and community groups active in the Northern Tablelands region. The dam was completed in 1971 and later integrated into administrative oversight frameworks that involved agencies analogous to WaterNSW and regional resource planners.
The embankment design employed locally sourced rockfill and an impervious core consistent with contemporaneous practice used in Australian projects inspired by pioneers such as engineers from Murray‑Darling Basin Commission‑era programs. Engineering drawings incorporated spillway arrangements and outlet works comparable in principle to structures overseen by authorities like Department of Public Works (NSW). Construction contractors engaged regional civil firms that had worked on projects tied to the New England Highway corridor and rural infrastructure contracts. Geotechnical investigations referenced mapping by institutions similar to the Bureau of Mineral Resources and utilised surveying standards aligned with guidelines promulgated by professional bodies such as the Institution of Engineers Australia.
The reservoir has a storage capacity around 9,950 megalitres, a catchment of approximately 19 square kilometres and a surface area near 83 hectares at full supply level. The dam crest and spillway are sized to accommodate probable maximum flood estimates used by NSW authorities and hydrological models developed by agencies akin to the Bureau of Meteorology. Operational management includes routine inspections informed by standards from organisations such as the Australian National Committee on Large Dams and asset maintenance regimes similar to those implemented by regional water utilities. Water release protocols coordinate with downstream riparian stakeholders in the Tenterfield district and are aligned with statutory instruments enforced by the state.
The impoundment supplies treated drinking water to Tenterfield and nearby localities, supporting municipal services administered by Tenterfield Shire Council. During drought episodes, allocation decisions reference frameworks comparable to state water sharing plans and involve liaison with agencies like NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Besides potable supply, the resource supports limited agricultural abstractions for livestock and small‑scale horticulture, echoing water use patterns represented in regional agricultural reports produced by institutions such as Department of Primary Industries (New South Wales). Emergency management coordination has been undertaken with agencies in the event of extreme events similar to those managed by Emergency Management Australia and state emergency services.
The dam altered flow regimes on the local watercourse, affecting riparian habitats characteristic of the Northern Tablelands (New South Wales) and species lists maintained by conservation agencies like Office of Environment and Heritage (New South Wales). Aquatic ecology assessments have noted impacts on native fish assemblages comparable to issues documented for catchments monitored by the Australian Society for Fish Biology and required mitigation measures aligned with biodiversity guidance from bodies such as the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Terrestrial vegetation around the reservoir includes remnants of eucalypt woodlands found across the region, with conservation interests overlapping with reserves managed under frameworks associated with National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales). Environmental monitoring and catchment management planning have involved collaboration with regional natural resource management groups similar to Northern Tablelands Local Land Services.
The reservoir provides recreational opportunities including angling, picnicking and limited boating, activities often promoted by local tourism organisations like Visit NSW and regional chambers such as the Tenterfield Chamber of Commerce. Facilities adjacent to the waterbody include a boat ramp and picnic areas maintained by municipal crews from Tenterfield Shire Council. Events and visitation link to broader regional tourism circuits that feature destinations such as Girraween National Park, Bald Rock National Park and townships along the New England Highway. Management of recreation balances public access with water quality protection in line with policies advocated by bodies like Health NSW and state environmental authorities.
Category:Dams in New South Wales Category:Tenterfield, New South Wales