Enoggera
Built in 1866, Enoggera Reservoir is the oldest reservoir in Brisbane. It was the third largest dam built in Australia in the 1800s and was one of the three dams constructed to store water for Brisbane’s growing population from 1864 to 1916.
In 1976, the concrete spillway was added and the embankment raised for flood mitigation. Enoggera has a two-level spillway. The lower level has two rectangular culverts that tunnel under the concrete crest. When the full supply level is reached, water flows through the culverts and out of the dam. The upper spillway has a concrete ogee crest. During major floods, water will also flow over the upper spillway.
Enoggera is an un-gated dam, meaning that when it reaches 100 per cent capacity, water flows over the spillway and safely out of the dam. If you would like to be notified when the dam begins to spill, sign up to our free dam release notification service or download our public safety mobile app.
Current capacity
- KEY INFORMATION
- WATER SOURCE
- LIVING NEAR DAMS
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Key information
NameEnoggera
WatercourseEnoggera Creek
LocationThe Gap
Catchment area33.00km²
Length of dam wall380.00m
Year completed1866
Type of constructionConcrete and rock-face earth and rock fill dam
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Enoggera Reservoir was the first major dam constructed in Queensland. It is adjacent to The Gap in Brisbane and has a catchment area of 33km2. At full supply, the dam holds 4,262 million litres of water.
Although Enoggera Reservoir is not currently used for water supply in South East Queensland, it could supply drinking water during drought and is also a unique and much-loved recreation destination in the heart of Brisbane.
Read more about the SEQ Water Grid.
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Flood mitigation
All dams help mitigate flooding to some extent. The peak outflow from a gated or un-gated dam during a flood event is less than the peak outflow that would have occurred had the dam not been built, because some water is held in the dam while it is spilling. This means that water flow slows down as floods pass through the dam.
For residents living downstream of Enoggera Dam, click here to read more about how the dam has been designed and constructed, what Seqwater does to manage the dam and how the dam performed during the heavy rainfall associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie in March 2017.
It’s important neighbours and people downstream of dams know what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency. Each of our dams have an emergency action plan (EAP) in place to enable us to respond quickly to potential incidents in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, relevant emergency services and local councils. For Enoggera Dam, this is Brisbane City Council.