Paradise Dam (Queensland)
| Paradise Dam | |
|---|---|
Location of the dam wall in Queensland | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Biggenden, Wide Bay-Burnett region, Queensland |
| Coordinates | 25°21′04″S 151°55′10″E / 25.35111°S 151.91944°E |
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 2005 |
| Construction cost | A$240 million |
| Owner(s) | Burnett Water |
| Operator(s) | SunWater |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam; Roller-compacted concrete |
| Impounds | Burnett River |
| Height | 37 metres (121 ft) |
| Length | 600 metres (2,000 ft) |
| Spillways | 1 |
| Spillway type | Stepped spillway chute with a smooth ogee |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Paradise Dam |
| Total capacity | 300,000 ML (6.6×1010 imp gal; 7.9×1010 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 33,000 ML (1,200×106 cu ft) |
| Maximum water depth | 38.2 m (125 ft) |
| Normal elevation | 67.6 m (222 ft) |
| Paradise Dam Mini Hydro | |
| Coordinates | 25°21′04″S 151°55′10″E / 25.35111°S 151.91944°E |
| Operator(s) | SunWater |
| Commission date | 2006 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Turbines | 1 X 2.7 MW Kaplan |
The Paradise Dam, also known as the Burnett River Dam, is a roller compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam across the Burnett River, located between Coringa and Good Night northwest of Biggenden and 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of Bundaberg in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. Built for irrigation, the impoundment created by the dam is called Lake Paradise.
In September 2019, concerns about the structural stability of the dam resulted in the water levels in the dam being lowered to 42% of its maximum capacity. In 2020 a report found that the roller-compacted concrete was "intrinsically incapable" of achieving the required standard for safety. In 2024, it was announced that the dam would be functionally replaced with an entirely new dam due to these concerns.