| The widened spillway and new embankment completed in 2019 (Supplied: SA Water) |
Construction commenced in 1966, a pivotal moment for South Australia’s water infrastructure. The dam, built by damming the River Torrens west of Cudlee Creek near its junction with Kangaroo Creek, was completed in 1969.
The reservoir, with a concrete-clad, rock-filled dam wall measuring 131 meters long and 65 meters high, was officially opened on 5 December 1969 by The Hon. R. Steel Hall, M.P., the Premier of South Australia. At this stage, it controlled 290 square kilometres of the River Torrens catchment, with a water spread area of 103 hectares, significantly increasing storage from 20,457 megalitres to approximately 47,734 megalitres. The reservoir filling submerged three historical bridges: Batchelor’s Bridge, Crouch’s Bridge (built in 1921), and Prairie Bridge (built in 1906), marking a notable impact on the local landscape.
It holds 19,160 megalitres at full capacity, contributing to nearly a year’s supply for metropolitan Adelaide, as SA Water Data noted.
