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Hume Dam is jointly managed by Victorian and New South Wales authorities on behalf of the MDBA. Goulburn-Murray Water manages water and land located in Victoria, and State Water is responsible for day-to-day operation and maintenance and the management of major remedial works.
Location
Hume Dam is located immediately downstream of the Murray River and Mitta Mitta River confluence, 16 kilometres east of Albury-Wodonga. The dam is 305 km from the mountain source and 2,225 km from the Murray mouth at Goolwa.
History
The construction of the Hume Dam commenced on 28 November 1919 and was completed in 1936. The construction site was initially referred to as ‘the Mitta Mitta Dam site', but in February 1920 the River Murray Commission adopted the name ‘Hume Reservoir' to honour Hamilton Hume, who was one of the first Europeans to see and cross the River Murray.
Operations
Hume Dam is the major operating storage of the River Murray system. The storage regulates the River Murray, and re-regulates water discharged from the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme.
Releases from Hume Dam and downstream tributary streams supply irrigation, domestic and stock and urban demands to Victoria and New South Wales, and provide about one-third of South Australia's entitlement. In very dry years, releases are made specifically for South Australian requirements and are supplemented by transfers from Dartmouth Dam.
Hume Dam follows an annual cycle of filling and drawdown. The storage usually receives inflows during winter and fills by the end of spring each year. Releases generally occur between December and May, with Hume Dam regularly drawn down to less than half of capacity by the end of autumn.
Lake Hume Land and On-Water Management Plan
On behalf of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, a Land and On-water Management Plan has been developed for Lake Hume. The Plan provides a strategic approach to management of land and on-water issues at Lake Hume, including community awareness and involvement, water quality, recreation and tourism, healthy ecosystems, agricultural land use, planning and development and cultural heritage. The Plan does not make recommendations on storage operational issues, including storage filling and releases. The Plan outlines priority land and on-water management issues and identifies key actions to be implemented during the next five years. Most importantly, the Plan aims to increase communication, consistency, co-ordination and co-operation between agencies, stakeholder groups and the community to protect the lake's values and attributes.
Download a copy of the Hume Land and On-Water Management Plan