Lake Pedder

Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder, c. 1970
Lake Pedder is located in Tasmania
Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder
Map
Map showing Lake Pedder in Tasmania
LocationSouth West Tasmania
Coordinates42°56′S 146°08′E / 42.933°S 146.133°E / -42.933; 146.133
Type
EtymologySir John Pedder
Part ofUpper Gordon River hydroelectric generation scheme
Primary inflowsFrankland Range
River sources
Primary outflows
  • Serpentine River
  • Huon River
Catchment area734 km2 (283 sq mi)
Basin countriesAustralia
Construction engineerHydro Tasmania
First flooded1972
Surface area242 km2 (93 sq mi)
Average depth13–16 m (43–52 ft) (as a reservoir)
Max. depth
  • +3 m (9.8 ft) (as a glacial lake);
  • 43 m (141 ft) (as a reservoir)
Water volume2.9 km3 (0.70 cu mi)
Surface elevation300 m (980 ft)
Islands
  • 2 (as a glacial lake);
  • 45 (as a reservoir)
References[1]

Lake Pedder, once a glacial outwash lake, is a man-made impoundment and diversion lake located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia. In addition to its natural catchment from the Frankland Range, the lake is formed by the 1972 damming of the Serpentine and Huon rivers by the Hydro-Electric Commission for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation. Consequently, the lake is also known, somewhat derisively, as the Huon-Serpentine Impoundment.[2]

As a result, the flooded Lake Pedder now has a surface area of approximately 242 square kilometres (93 sq mi), making it Tasmania's second largest lake.[1][3][4]

  1. ^ a b "Register of Large Dams in Australia" (Excel-XLS). Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2012. sheet "TAS", column "name of reservoir", value "Lake Pedder". Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Facts & Resources". Restore Lake Pedder. n.d. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  3. ^ "The Gordon Catchment". Hydro Tasmania. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  4. ^ House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts (June 1995). Inquiry into the proposal to drain and restore Lake Pedder (PDF) (Report). Australian Government Publishing Service. p. 242. ISBN 0-644-45259-5. Retrieved 2 June 2018.