Serpentine Dam (Tasmania)
| Company type | Dam |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hydroelectric power |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) |
| Headquarters | South West Tasmania , Australia |
| Products | Water storage for hydroelectric power generation |
The Serpentine Dam is a rockfill embankment structure featuring a concrete facing and a regulated spillway, constructed across the Serpentine River in Tasmania's South West region, Australia.
Built in 1971 by the Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) as an integral component of the Gordon River Power Development Scheme, this dam contributes to the formation of Lake Pedder together with the Edgar Dam and Scotts Peak Dam. The reservoir submerged the natural Lake Edgar fault scarp pond. Its main function is to facilitate hydroelectric power production through the traditional Gordon Power Station. Water stored in Lake Pedder is channeled to Lake Gordon, created by the Gordon Dam, via the McPartlan Pass Canal.
Location and features
Together with the Edgar and Scotts Peak Dams, the Serpentine Dam constitutes part of the upper catchment area for the Gordon River Power Development Scheme. Positioned near the northwestern tip of Lake Pedder where the Serpentine River flows down from the Frankland Range into Pedder Reach, it plays a crucial role in regulating water resources. At Lake Pedder’s southern extremity, Scotts Peak Dam impounds the upper reaches of the Huon River, while Edgar Dam functions as a saddle dam along the lake’s eastern boundary. Approximately 40% of the inflow for the Gordon Power Station originates from Lake Pedder, with water transferred to Lake Gordon through McPartlan Canal. Subsequently, water is discharged from Gordon Power Station into the Gordon River.
The dam is founded on rock and soil substrates and incorporates a rockfill embankment with a concrete face. The wall rises to a height of 38 meters and extends 134 meters in length, containing rockfill material within its structure. It impounds up to 96,910 megaliters when at full reservoir capacity. Lake Pedder covers an area of 242 square kilometers and receives runoff from a catchment spanning 734 square kilometers. The dam includes a controlled spillway capable of releasing flows up to 242 cubic meters per second.
While not directly generating hydroelectric power itself, Serpentine Dam stores water that is conveyed via McPartlan Pass Canal at a regulated rate of 100 cubic meters per second to Lake Gordon.
The dam’s creation resulted in flooding that eliminated a significant sub-population of the endangered plant species Centrolepis pedderensis. This population, formerly located along the Serpentine River, is now restricted solely to one site within the Frankland Range due to inundation caused by reservoir formation.