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| Lake Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lake Gordon |
| Caption | Reservoir forming Lake Gordon |
| Location | Tasmania, Australia |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Inflow | Gordon River |
| Outflow | Gordon River |
| Catchment | Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Area | 278 km2 |
| Max-depth | 183 m |
| Volume | 12,359 GL |
| Islands | Montagu Island (reservoir island) |
Lake Gordon is a large hydroelectric reservoir in Tasmania, Australia, created by the construction of a major dam on the Gordon River system. The impoundment forms one of the largest freshwater bodies in Tasmania and is integrally linked to regional energy infrastructure, wilderness conservation, and tourism in southwestern Tasmania. The reservoir lies in proximity to key protected areas and has been central to debates involving environmental policy and hydroelectric development.
Lake Gordon sits within the southwestern Tasmanian landscape, adjacent to the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and the South West World Heritage Wilderness Area. The principal inflow and outflow is the Gordon River (Tasmania), supplemented by tributaries such as the Ouse River, Wellington River (Tasmania), and mountain catchments draining from ranges including the King William Range and the Spurrs Range. The reservoir’s catchment overlaps with parts of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and influences downstream systems connected to the Gordon-Franklin catchment. Hydrologically, the impoundment exhibits deep-water stratification, large storage capacity, and seasonal variation governed by runoff from alpine precipitation and glacial relic basins like those near the Gunnera Basin and Denison River headwaters.
The origins of the reservoir trace to mid-20th-century hydroelectric planning by entities such as the Hydro-Electric Commission (Tasmania) and later debates involving the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Tasmanian Wilderness Society. Initial surveys and engineering works referenced precedents from projects like the Gordon Dam scheme and earlier Tasmanian developments at Lake Pieman and Great Lake (Tasmania). The construction phase engaged contractors and consultants with international experience, while political controversies linked to heritage sites culminated in national attention during disputes comparable to the Gordon-below-Franklin controversy and the broader Franklin Dam campaign. Legislative and judicial actions by bodies including the High Court of Australia and interventions by the Commonwealth of Australia framed subsequent management.
The reservoir was created primarily to supply water to the Gordon Power Station complex and the associated Tungatinah Power Station and Poatina Power Station systems through the Hydro Tasmania network. The hydroelectric scheme employs large-capacity turbines and penstocks, with generating capacity contributing to Tasmania’s grid and interconnections to the Basslink project for mainland exchange. Engineering features parallel those found in international projects such as the Hoover Dam in scale of storage, and the scheme’s operation is coordinated with the Tasmanian Energy Security Taskforce and market mechanisms overseen by entities like the Australian Energy Market Operator. Infrastructure includes access roads, transmission lines to substations such as Midlands Substation (Tasmania), and monitoring by agencies comparable to the Bureau of Meteorology for hydrological forecasting.
The impoundment transformed riverine habitats into lacustrine environments, affecting endemic species and ecological processes documented by researchers from institutions including the University of Tasmania and environmental groups like the World Wildlife Fund. Impacts encompassed changes in sediment transport, aquatic vegetation, and migratory patterns for fauna such as populations studied alongside the Tasmanian devil conservation programs and freshwater fish surveys that reference species protected under legislation like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The area’s proximity to the Franklin River wilderness prompted conservation advocacy resulting in protections under the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area listing and management plans developed with input from agencies such as the Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania) and non-government organizations including the Wilderness Society.
Recreational activities on and around the reservoir include boating, angling, wilderness trekking, and guided tours that interface with operators associated with the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park tourism circuit. Access routes connect via roads maintained under state authorities and link to trails in the Southwest National Park (Tasmania). Touring parties often combine visits to heritage-listed sites and natural attractions including the Gordon River (Tasmania) valleys, with provisions overseen by visitor services similar to those at Bay of Fires. Safety and wilderness guidelines reference standards from bodies such as the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for boating and the Australian Alpine Club for remote-area travel.
The reservoir occupies a place in Tasmanian cultural memory, intersecting with campaigns by conservationists like members of the Tasmanian Wilderness Society and public figures who engaged in the Franklin Dam debates. Economically, the hydroelectric output has underpinned regional industry, energy exports, and employment tied to Hydro Tasmania operations, impacting sectors comparable to forestry and tourism stakeholders represented by organizations like the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania. The site is also referenced in artistic and documentary works produced by filmmakers and writers associated with Tasmanian environmental narratives, contributing to national discourse involving institutions such as the National Trust of Australia (Tasmania).
Category:Reservoirs in Tasmania