Hume Dam - Virtual Reward 3.0
Lake Hume
Hume Dam
The Hume Dam forms Hume Reservoir (also known as Lake Hume), which is the main supply storage and one of the two major water storages for the River Murray system.
The reservoir is made up of a concrete gravity dam and a series of earth embankments that impound the River Murray and the lower Mitta Mitta River. It is located about 10 km east of Albury and around 300 km downstream from where the Murray rises on the Great Dividing Range. The dam location means that flows from the upper Murray, Mitta Mitta (Dartmouth Reservoir is upstream of Hume on the Mitta Mitta River) and some water from the Snowy Scheme are regulated through Hume Reservoir.
The primary role of Hume Reservoir is to regulate and conserve water for both human consumption and the environment. Secondary roles include hydroelectric power generation and flood mitigation. Hume Reservoir has also become an important recreation and tourist location.

History
Following a number of years of drought during the second half of the 1890s, culminating in a record dry year in 1902, the community saw the need for a water storage to collect the high flows of winter and spring for release in drier months. This would provide a reliable year-round supply of water particularly during the critical months of February to April and would assist the expansion of irrigation and settlement along the Murray.
A conference was held at Corowa in April 1902 to discuss the establishment of an irrigation scheme for the southern Riverina and northern Victoria. In the same year, an Interstate Royal Commission on the River Murray recommended the construction of a storage on the Upper Murray at Cumberoona, upstream of the present dam site.
Between 1903 and 1913, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia attempted to arrive at a workable agreement on the regulation and sharing of River Murray waters. Finally in November 1915, the River Murray Water Agreement was ratified by Acts of Parliament and was passed simultaneously by the Commonwealth and the three states.
Hume Dam took 17 years to construct from the turning of the first sod on 28 November 1919 by Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, Governor-General of Australia. The first filling was in December 1934 and it was officially opened on 21 November 1936. Hume Dam was constructed for the River Murray Commission by the New South Wales Department of Public Works and the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission of Victoria, as joint constructing authorities.
At the time, the capacity of the completed reservoir was 1,522 GL (at a Full Supply Level of 182.9 m above sea level).
The New South Wales Department of Public Works carried out modifications between 1950 and 1961 to enlarge the reservoir to its present capacity of 3,005 GL (at Full Supply Level of 192 m above sea level). Initially, the storage was to have been enlarged to a capacity of 2,460 GL but in 1954 a further increase was decided in order to accommodate future additional water from the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Catchment characteristics
At just under 16,000 km⊃2;, the catchment area upstream of Hume Reservoir covers only 1.5% of the Basin. Whilst this is a relatively small area, the landscape of rugged ranges and valleys includes some of the wettest parts of the Basin. The catchment encompasses a considerable portion of the Australian Alps where total annual precipitation can exceed 2,000 mm. As a result, about 30% of the total inflow to the River Murray is sourced upstream of Hume Reservoir (including the Mitta Mitta River inflows downstream of Dartmouth but excluding the Snowy Scheme).
Rain is the most common form of precipitation over the catchment, however snow is also important above 1,400 m. While only 7% of the Hume Reservoir catchment lies above this altitude, it is a valuable area that yields 18% of the water to Hume Reservoir – although only a small amount is from snow. This is 6.6% of the total inflow to the River Murray.
Like the Basin more broadly, weather and hydrological conditions in the Hume catchment show considerable variability. Without this variability, there would be a much more reliable and consistent natural flow in the River Murray.
On average, about 80% of the volume of water flow takes place during the winter-spring period, with conditions during the summer and autumn normally much drier. There can be considerable rain and stream flow variation from year to year and even between successions of years. This results in (often prolonged) periods of drought and flood that typify the southern Basin environment.
The following figures show the amount of 'unregulated' water flowing into Hume Reservoir:
average annual inflow: 2,550 GL
average annual inflow June to November: 2,010 GL
average annual inflow December to May: 540 GL.
These annual averages give some indication of the range of flow variability that is characteristic of the Hume catchment. However, from year to year, variability can be a lot more significant. The lowest recorded annual inflow was in the 2006–07 water year when just 120 GL flowed into the dam. The highest recorded annual inflow was 7,130 GL in 1956–57. (Source of statistocs and information from Murray Darling Basin Authority)
The dam is named after Hamilton Hume, the first European to explore the river upstream of Albury in 1824.
This photo from Albury & District Historical Society.
Other:
The dam is a mix of a concrete gravity dam with four earth embankments. The dam wall height is 51 metres (167 ft) and the crest is 1,615 metres (5,299 ft) long with the auxiliary embankments extending a further 1,010 metres (3,310 ft). The maximum water depth is 194 metres (636 ft) and at 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 3,005,157 megalitres (106,126.1×106 cu ft) of water at 194 metres (636 ft) AHD.
The surface area of Lake Hume is 20,190 hectares (49,900 acres) and the catchment area is 15,300 square kilometres (5,900 sq mi). The dam wall is constructed of rock covered with clay and other earth and is designed to carry vehicular traffic, however is only accessible by foot. A controlled concrete spillway that comprises a gated concrete overflow, with twenty-nine vertical undershot gates, is capable of discharging 7,929 cubic metres per second (280,000 cu ft/s). (Source - Wikipedia)

The Hume Weir/Reservoir has approximately 400km of lake foreshores much of which is followed by State Highways or secondary roads. There are many access points and boat ramps to access the water.
You can swim, boat, ski, fish, There are many reserves with picnic, BBQ and camping facilities (self contained)
A great area to explore!
To claim this Virtual please answer the following questions and submit your answers via the Geocaching messaging or email system - Please do not reveal answers in your logs or in the images you may attach:
Please see listed waypoints to obtain your information
1. Halfway across the wall you will find a mounted plaque on the river side concrete wall - What is this plaque commemorating and what date is shown on it?
2. At this same location you are standing in front of which gates?
3. Take a walk to the end of the wall, there are two large plaques with information about the Hume Reservoir, how many bolts holding them up?
If any of the dam gates are open when you visit we'd love to know how many are flowing.
Although not a requirement I would love to see a photo of your team or a selfie of you enjoying the walk across the wall or at the viewing platform at S 36 06.631 E 147 01.970.
At time of publishing the dam is sitting at 96% capacity.
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.