Myponga Reservoir

Myponga Reservoir
LocationMyponga, South Australia
Coordinates35°23′42″S 138°26′31″E / 35.395°S 138.442°E / -35.395; 138.442
Construction began1958
Opening date1962
Dam and spillways
Height49 m (161 ft)
Length226 m (741 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity26 800 ML
Catchment areaMyponga River
Surface area2.8 km2 (1.1 sq mi)

The Myponga Reservoir is a reservoir in South Australia, located about 60 km south of Adelaide near the town of Myponga. The reservoir is fed by the Myponga River and other rivers in the Myponga catchment. It provides about 5% of the City of Adelaide's water supply[1] and is the main source of filtered water for southern metropolitan Adelaide and the southern coast area. Plans to use the Myponga River catchment as a major storage area were made in 1945. Construction began in 1958 and was completed in 1962, flooding what was from 1840 known as "Lovely Valley".[2] Prior to the construction of the Myponga Water Treatment Plant in 1993, water from Myponga was used to supplement that of Happy Valley Reservoir.[3]

The reservoir was searched for the bodies of the Beaumont children, and Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon in early 1990, based on evidence against Bevan Spencer von Einem delivered by "Mr. B", a witness. No remains were found there.[4]

Myponga Reservoir seen from Reservoir Road
Myponga Reservoir information
  1. ^ "The Myponga River Catchment" (PDF). Department of Environment and Heritage, Government of South Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2007.
  2. ^ "PROGRESS OF THE COLONY-FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1840". South Australian Register. Adelaide. 4 July 1840. p. 4. Retrieved 24 September 2011 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Water Storage (Reservoirs): Myponga Reservoir". SA Water. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2007.
  4. ^ "The Beaumont Children: Myponga Reservoir". Retrieved 4 January 2008.