| Canning Dam | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The dam wall and spillway | |
| Location | Ashendon, City of Armadale, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°9′9″S 116°7′42″E / 32.15250°S 116.12833°E |
| Construction began | 1933 |
| Opening date | 1940 |
| Construction cost | AU£1.1 million |
| Operator(s) | Water Corporation |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Canning River |
| Height | 66 metres (217 ft) |
| Length | 466 metres (1,529 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Canning Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 90,352 megalitres (73,250 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 804 square kilometres (310 sq mi)[nb 1] |
| Surface area | 501 hectares (1.93 sq mi) |
| |
| Official name | Canning Dam |
| Type | City of Armadale Municipal Inventory |
| Designated | 1 December 2008 |
| Reference no. | 3830 |
The Canning Dam and reservoir are a major source of fresh water for the city of Perth, Western Australia. The dam is situated on the Darling Scarp and is an impoundment of the Canning River. It is noted for its innovative structural and hydraulic design that was considered to be at the forefront of concrete gravity dam design at the time of construction in from 1933 to its completion 1940.[1][2]
The Canning Dam was Perth's primary water supply up until the 1961 when other sources of fresh water were tapped, such as the Serpentine dam.[2] Currently the dam supplies approximately 20 percent of Perth's fresh water. Inflow into the Canning Reservoir is estimated to be 22 gigalitres (0.78 billion cubic feet), and it has a storage capacity of 90.352 gigalitres (3.1908 billion cubic feet).
Since its completion in 1940, the Canning Dam has contributed to a wide range of environmental and ecological problems in surrounding regions, problems include more common algal blooms, habitat loss and sedimentation. Despite these issues, Canning Dam and the adjacent parks and forests provide a variety of recreational activities for the public such as bushwalking, historic walks and picnic facilities.
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- ^ "Canning Dam and Reservoir, McNess Dr, Roleystone, Western Australia (Place ID 101649)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
- ^ a b "How the Canning Dam solved Perth's water supply problems - Engineering Institute of Technology :Engineering Institute of Technology". www.eit.edu.au. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2023.