Baroon Pocket Dam
Lake and shoreline, 2008
Location of the Baroon Pocket Dam in Queensland
Country	Australia
Location	South East Queensland
Coordinates	26°42′12″S 152°52′5″E / 26.70333°S 152.86806°E / -26.70333; 152.86806
Purpose	Water supply
Status	Operational
Opening date	1989
Operator(s)	SEQ Water
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment dam
Impounds	Obi Obi Creek
Height	58 m (190 ft)
Length	370 m (1,210 ft)
Dam volume	716×10^3 m3 (25.3×10^6 cu ft)
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity	1,013 m3/s (35,800 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Baroon
Total capacity	61,000 ML (2,200×10^6 cu ft)[1]
Catchment area	72 km2 (28 sq mi)
Surface area	380 ha (940 acres)
Maximum length	3.9 km (2.4 mi)
Maximum width	1.9 km (1.2 mi)
Maximum water depth	15 m (49 ft)
Normal elevation	215 m (705 ft) AHD
Website www.seqwater.com.au

The Baroon Pocket Dam is a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway across the Obi Obi Creek, in North Maleny, Sunshine Coast Region, in South East Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply.^[2][3] The impounded reservoir is called Lake Baroon.^[4]

Just below the dam is Obi Obi Gorge, one of the few remaining places left where the Mary River cod maintains a wild population.^[2] After its initial filling, the dam reached its lowest level between December 2002 and February 2003 at 50% capacity.^[5][6]

History

The name Baroon is the Aboriginal name for the area, which was a meeting place and fighting ground. The name was first recorded by colonists in 1842.^[4][7]

Location and features

Located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of Maleny in the Sunshine Coast region, the dam wall was completed in 1989 over the Obi Obi Creek, Small Creek and several unnamed watercourses.

The dam wall is 58 metres (190 ft) high and 370 metres (1,210 ft) long and holds back 61,000 megalitres (13×10^⁹ imp gal; 16×10^⁹ US gal) of water when at full capacity. The surface area of the reservoir is 380 hectares (940 acres) and the catchment area is 72 square kilometres (28 sq mi). The uncontrolled un-gated spillway has a discharge capacity of 1,013 cubic metres per second (35,800 cu ft/s).^[1][3]

Baroon Pocket Dam's primary use is for town water supply for Maroochy and Caloundra. An intake tower allows water to flow from the dam through a 2.5-metre (8.2 ft) wide, 2.5-kilometre (1.6 mi) long tunnel under the Blackall Range.^[8] Water is then distributed by UnityWater for a range of purposes. The dam and catchment is managed by Seqwater.

Recreational use and environmental management

Boating

There is a single boat ramp. Camping is not permitted near the lake. There are picnic areas by the lakeside while viewing platforms and a rainforest walking track through Obi Obi Gorge, are located near the spillway.^[9] Fossil fuel motors are not allowed on the lake.^[2] A council permit, obtainable on site, is required to use an electric outboard motor for the use on dinghies, but not on canoes.^[2]

Fishing

Lake Baroon is stocked with bass, Mary River cod, golden perch and silver perch, while eel-tailed catfish and spangled perch are naturally present.^[2] A council permit is required to fish in the dam.^[10]

Environmental management

Catchment care activities are undertaken by Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group (LBCCG) a community group predominantly funded by SeqWater ($220,000 PA in 2015). The group coordinates protection and remedial works in the catchment and addresses ways to improve water quality. Since its inception in 1992, LBCCG has developed and monitored over $3.5 million of water quality improvement projects, mainly working with local primary producers.^[11]

Walking

The rugged Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk takes at least four days to complete. It leaves from Baroon Pocket Dam and traverses 58.8 kilometres (36.5 mi) through the Blackall Range. Baroon lookout, which provides views of Obi Obi Gorge, Baroon Pocket Dam and its catchment, is 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) along the walk.^[12]