Devils Gate Dam

HISTORIC ENGINEERING MARKER 

 

DEVILS GATE DAM 

 

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINNEST CONCRETE ARCH DAMS IN THE WORLD. IT WAS COMPLETED BY THE HYDRO-ELECTRIC COMMISSION IN 1969 AND IS 84 m HIGH. THE NARROWNESS OF THE GORGE AND THE COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN OF ITS DOUBLE CURVATURE SHAPE ENABLED ENGINEERS TO MINIMISE THE VOLUME OF CONCRETE AND HENCE THE COST OF THE DAM. FLOOD WATERS FALLING FREELY FROM THE CREST STRIKE CONCRETE SLABS CAREFULLY POSITIONED ON THE ABUTMENTS TO PREVENT UNDERMINING OF THE DAM BY EROSION. 

 

DEDICATED BY THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, AUSTRALIA 2001