Wappa Dam
Wappa Dam, 2018
Location of the Wappa Dam in Queensland
Country	Australia
Location	South East Queensland
Coordinates	26°34′12″S 152°55′19″E / 26.57000°S 152.92194°E / -26.57000; 152.92194
Purpose	Potable water supply[1][2]
Status	Operational
Opening date	1963 (1963)
Operator(s)	SEQ Water
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity dam
Impounds	South Maroochy River
Height	24 m (79 ft)[1]
Length	138 m (453 ft)[1][2]
Dam volume	12×10^3 m3 (420×10^3 cu ft)[1]
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity	1,420 m3/s (50,000 cu ft/s)[1]
Reservoir
Total capacity	4,610 ML (1,010×10^6 imp gal; 1,220×10^6 US gal)[2][3]
Catchment area	69.7 km2 (26.9 sq mi)[1][2]
Surface area	74 ha (180 acres)[3]
Website www.seqwater.com.au

The Wappa Dam is a mass concrete gravity arch dam with earth-fill abutments and an un-gated spillway across the South Maroochy River that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Sunshine Coast region.^[1][3] The impounded reservoir is also called Wappa Dam. The dam and most of the reservoir are within Kiamba with the most northerly part of the reservoir in Cooloolabin, both in the Sunshine Coast Region.^[4]

Location and features

The dam is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north-west of Nambour.

Completed in 1963, the concrete dam structure is 24 metres (79 ft) high and 138 metres (453 ft) long. The 12-thousand-cubic-metre (420×10^³ cu ft) dam wall holds back the 4,614-megalitre (1,015×10^⁶ imp gal; 1,219×10^⁶ US gal) reservoir when at full capacity. From a catchment area of 69.7 square kilometres (26.9 sq mi) with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 1,700 millimetres (67 in) that includes much of the Maroochy River, the dam creates an unnamed reservoir with a surface area of 74 hectares (180 acres). The un–gated spillway has a discharge capacity of 1,420 cubic metres per second (50,000 cu ft/s).^[1] Initially managed by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, management of the dam was transferred to SEQ Water in July 2008 as part of a water security project in the South East Queensland region, known as the South East Queensland Water Grid.^[5] The accompanying water treatment plant is also managed by SEQ Water.

Recreational uses

Recreational use of the lake and its surrounding bushland reserve is severely limited, with prohibited recreational activities including swimming, water skiing, diving, mountain biking, horse riding, canoeing and kayaking, camping, and bushwalking. Picnic facilities are available at four locations around the dam,^[2] with access prohibited outside of daylight hours.^[3]