Lake Eppalock is a water supply reservoir formed as a result of the Eppalock Dam, an embankment dam across the Campaspe and the Coliban rivers, located in Eppalock, North Central Victoria, Australia, approximately northwest of Melbourne. Completed in 1964, the dam's reservoir supplies potable water for the regional population centres of Ballarat, Bendigo and Heathcote, irrigation for the Campaspe district, and is also used for recreational purposes. The dam and reservoir is operated by Goulburn–Murray Water.

Dam and reservoir overview

Dam

The dam was built between 1960 and 1964 by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission of Victoria. The earth and rock-filled dam wall is high and long. When full, the reservoir can hold that covers drawn from a catchment area of . The controlled chute spillway is capable of discharging .

The lake is a major attraction for those engaging in watersports, with a number of tourist parks and accommodation facilities available. Permissible activities on the lake include high-speed boating, water skiing, sailing, canoeing, fishing and swimming. The lake water levels were low for approximately eight years between 2002 and 2010 during a prolonged drought, which restricted the amount of recreational activity until rainfall in the latter half of 2010 returned the lake to 100 percent capacity. A speed restriction of 5 knots is placed on the lake when the level falls below 16 percent or .

Camping is permitted only in caravan parks and/or on private land surrounding the lake with a permit from the land owner.

Lake Eppalock is the only water storage on the Campaspe River system. The lake was full in August 2000 then ran dry over two years, to 2002. It remained below 15 percent for eight years due to drought. The reservoir rose from 8 percent in June 2010, to full capacity by November. The lake overflowed its spillway for the first time since 1996, on 28 November 2010, after significant rainfall over the preceding 48 hours. , the lake was at 44% capacity, down from 74% a year earlier.

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Lake Eppalock.jpg|Derrinal Pool, in October 2010

Glorious sunrise on drive up to the Echuca.jpg|Sunrise over Lake Eppalock

Lake Eppalock Yachts 004.JPG|Sailing on Lake Eppalock

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See also

  • List of reservoirs and dams in Victoria
  • Lakes and other water bodies of Victoria<!-- Not really a lake -->

References