Country Australia Status Operational Area 5.25 km² Catchment area 9.7 km² | Opening date 1888 Mean depth 9 m | |
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The Prospect Reservoir is a 50,200-megalitre (1,770×10^6 cu ft) potable water supply and storage reservoir created by the Prospect Dam, across the Prospect Creek located in the Western Sydney suburb of Prospect, in New South Wales, Australia. The eastern bounds of the reservoir are a recreational area and the western periphery are within the bounds of Western Sydney Parklands.
Contents
Map of Prospect Reservoir, New South Wales, Australia
History
Shortly after 1808, William Lawson was appointed aide-de-camp to George Johnston and was granted 500 acres (2.0 km2) at Prospect, which he named Veteran Hall. He built a large mansion there in the 1820s. He died on the property on 16 June 1850 and the property was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Water Board. The house was demolished in 1929 and most of the low lying surrounding property is submerged.
The dam was the first earthfill embankment dam in Australia and was completed in 1888. At the time it was intended to deliver water from the Upper Nepean Scheme via the Upper Canal to the reservoir. Prior to the completion of the Lower Canal, the water shortage still needed to be dealt with. Hudson Brothers of Clyde built a temporary raised pipe structure to deliver water from Prospect direct to the Botany Swamps.
In May 1940 the reservoir became a part of the Warragamba Emergency Scheme. Pipes were constructed to deliver water 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Warragamba.
Continuing use
Since the Prospect Water Filtration Plant was completed in 1996, untreated water is generally not drawn from Prospect reservoir any more. Instead, the water is piped to the filtration plant directly from Warragamba Dam. The reservoir remains a part of Sydney Water's storage network, however it is anticipated that it will only be utilised for water supply purposes on average of five days in any five-year period. As the site attracts up to half a million visitors annually, recreational use of the site is carefully managed to ensure the water remains suitable for supplementing Sydney Water's requirements.
Recreational use
The reservoir has a large recreational on its eastern side, accessed by William Lawson Drive. There is a lookout area called George Maunder Lookout (lower level and upper level) offering spectacular views of the reservoir and the Blue Mountains. The reservoir also has a number of picnic spots with BBQ and walking tracks within the native bushland.
The Prospect Reservoir is open to public during the week and weekend (but not on public holidays) from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM during daylight saving time and from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM during non daylight saving time.