Dartmouth Dam

MDBA Asset

Water Storage Levels

Last Updated 10/10/2024
Current Volume 3695247
% of Capacity 95.83
Capacity (ML) 3856232
94.4%
95.1%
95.6%
95.8%
95.8%
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Recreational Facilities

Large Grassed Area Car Parking Boat Ramp Fishing Camping Playground Equipment BBQ - Woodfired Toilets

Facts & Figures

Name Dartmouth Dam
Stream Mitta Mitta River
Year of Completion 1979
Construction Earth and rockfill
Full Supply Level 486.0 m AHD
Capacity 3,856,232 ML
Area Submerged 6,380 ha
Main Embankment Length 670 m
Main Embankment Height 180 m
Hydro-electric Generation 150 MW

About Dartmouth Dam

Aerial view of Dartmouth Dam
Aerial view of Dartmouth Dam

Dartmouth Dam is operated by Goulburn-Murray Water on behalf of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

It is the largest capacity dam in Victoria and the highest structure of its kind in Australia. When full, the dam stores almost 4,000,000 megalitres (ML).

Visit the MDBA Dartmouth Dam page here.

Location

Dartmouth Dam is located downstream of the confluence of the Mitta Mitta and Dart Rivers, approximately 24 km east of Mitta Mitta in North-Eastern Victoria.

History

Dartmouth Dam was constructed by the Victorian Rural Water Commission on behalf of the then River Murray Commission, the forerunner to today's MDBA. Construction began in 1973 and was completed in 1979.

Construction costs were shared equally by the Commonwealth, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia due to the role of the storage in the Murray system.

Dartmouth Dam Wall
The Dartmouth Dam wall

Operations

The primary purpose of Dartmouth Dam is the storage of water for irrigation and domestic and stock use in Victoria and New South Wales.

In dry seasons, the storage supplements releases from Lake Hume and increases supplies to the River Murray system.

 

Dartmouth Dam Information Centre

The Dartmouth Dam Information Centre is next to GMW’s Dartmouth office on the corner of Horsfall and Dartmouth Rds, about 5km from the dam itself.

The information centre provides a general overview of construction, operations and maintenance of the dam, including:

  • photos
    Dartmouth Information Centre
    Dartmouth Dam Information Centre
  • 3D model of the dam
  • key facts and benefits
  • historical displays
  • construction videos. 

The centre is open seven days a week, generally from 7.30am to 4pm.

Recreation and Tourism at Dartmouth Dam

Facilities Available

Large Grassed Area Large Grassed Area
Car Parking Car Parking
Boat Ramp Boat Ramp
Playground Equipment Playground Equipment
Fishing Fishing
Camping Camping
BBQ - Woodfired BBQ - Woodfired
Toilets Toilets
Please observe all signs and directions around our storages for information on recreational activities. Refer to the Land and On-Water Management Plan (if provided above) for detailed information on the facilities available.

Further Information

Lake Dartmouth offers a variety of water sports as well as recreation facilities. It is a favourite spot for fishing, especially trout

Macquarie perch (Maccas) are present, but can’t be caught or targeted by recreational fishers from any waterway in Victoria, giving wild populations the best chance to re-establish.

Inadvertently caught Maccas must be returned to the water quickly and safely.

For more information on the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s efforts to recover Macquarie perch, visit www.vfa.vic.gov.au/recoveringmaccas

Camping (with limited facilities) is permitted in designated areas around the Lake. The track from Sassafras Gap to the Eustace Creek camping area can be accessed by car, although a four wheel drive is recommended in wet conditions. The two other camping grounds can only be reached by boat.

There are good boat launching facilities but, while motor boats can be used, water skiing and house boating is not permitted. Boats are required to keep at least 700 metres away from the dam wall.  Work is being done to extend temporary boat launching facilities to enable continued boat access at low lake levels.

For details of Parks Victoria camping facilities in the Lake Dartmouth area, go to http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au./