Lake Narracan
Encyclopedia
Lake Narracan is an artificial lake on the Latrobe River
built to supply cooling water for the nearby brown coal fired power stations.
in the Latrobe Valley
. The dam wall is approximately 1.5 km upstream of the Yallourn Power Station. Its upper reaches are approximately 6 km further to the west, close to where the Narracan Creek meets the Latrobe River. The lake was formerly called the Yallourn Storage Dam.
between 1959 and 1961 and has the capacity of 8,600 megalitres (ML).
In 2002 major works were undertaken to bring the reservoir up to modern day standards, including anchoring the dam wall to the foundation bedrock and strengthening the four gates.
It is also the largest fresh water lake that is not used for domestic water storage in Victoria.
Latrobe River
The La Trobe River is a river in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It begins in the area between Powelltown and Noojee where it shares a watershed with the Little Yarra River, a tributary of the Yarra River, and has a number of tributaries joining it from the southern slopes of the Baw Baw plateau,...
built to supply cooling water for the nearby brown coal fired power stations.
Location
Lake Narracan is located on the Latrobe RiverLatrobe River
The La Trobe River is a river in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It begins in the area between Powelltown and Noojee where it shares a watershed with the Little Yarra River, a tributary of the Yarra River, and has a number of tributaries joining it from the southern slopes of the Baw Baw plateau,...
in the Latrobe Valley
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
. The dam wall is approximately 1.5 km upstream of the Yallourn Power Station. Its upper reaches are approximately 6 km further to the west, close to where the Narracan Creek meets the Latrobe River. The lake was formerly called the Yallourn Storage Dam.
History
The reservoir was first constructed by the State Electricity Commission of VictoriaState Electricity Commission of Victoria
The State Electricity Commission of Victoria was a monopoly electricity generation, transmission and supply utility located in Victoria, Australia...
between 1959 and 1961 and has the capacity of 8,600 megalitres (ML).
In 2002 major works were undertaken to bring the reservoir up to modern day standards, including anchoring the dam wall to the foundation bedrock and strengthening the four gates.
Purpose
The dam is an essential part of providing water for cooling the power stations generators in the Latrobe Valley. This supply is supplemented from Blue Rock Lake approximately 15 km upstream on the Tanjil River.Recreational activities
Lake Narracan is also used for recreational purposes, including waterskiing, jet skiing, swimming, recreational fishing, and bush walking on the shore. A school camp (Woorabinda) on the northern shore of the lake offers facilities for around 75 people. On the southern shore there is a caravan park and campground. The Latrobe Valley Model Aero Club is also located on the lake shore. The Moe Yallourn Rail Trail passes close by the southern shore of the lake.It is also the largest fresh water lake that is not used for domestic water storage in Victoria.