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{{distinguish|Snowy Mountains|Snowy Mountain (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
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| operator = [[Snowy Hydro Limited]]
}}
The '''Snowy Mountains Scheme''', also known as the '''Snowy Hydro'''<ref>https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/ {{bare URL inline|date=April 2023}}</ref> or the '''Snowy scheme''', is a [[hydroelectricity]] and [[irrigation in Australia|irrigation]] complex in south-east [[Australia]]. Near the border of [[
The water of the [[Snowy River]] and some of its [[tributary|tributaries]], much of which formerly flowed southeast onto the river flats of [[East Gippsland]], and into [[Bass Strait]] of the [[Tasman
In 2016, the Snowy Mountains Scheme was added to the [[Australian National Heritage List]].<ref name="Heritage">{{cite news|title=Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme added to National Heritage List|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-14/snowy-hydro-electric-scheme-added-to-national-heritage-list/7930174|access-date=14 October 2016|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=14 October 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014113239/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-14/snowy-hydro-electric-scheme-added-to-national-heritage-list/7930174|archive-date=14 October 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
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[[File:Official launch of the Snowy Mountains Hydro project at Adaminaby in 1949.jpg|thumb|Official launch of the Snowy Mountains Scheme at [[Adaminaby]]. From the left, [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]], [[Ben Chifley]]; [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]], [[William McKell]] and Minister for Works and Housing, [[Nelson Lemmon]], 1949.]]
[[File:William Hudson plaque at the Cooma Visitors Centre.jpg|thumb|[[William Hudson (engineer)|William Hudson]] KBE FRS Commissioner Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Authority 1949-1967. Plaque at [[Cooma]] Visitors Centre.]]
[[File:Snowy hydro murray 1 machine hall floor.jpg|thumb|The Machine Hall Floor of [[Murray-1 Hydroelectric Power Station]]
[[File:SnowyMountainsNSWTalbingoDam20050423a.JPG|thumb|[[Talbingo Dam]]. 16 major dams store water in the scheme. Many were constructed in rugged wilderness areas.]]
[[File:Lakeeucumbenefrom sky.JPG|thumb|Lake Eucumbene from the air]]
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The legislation created the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority that was given responsibility for the final evaluation, design and construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The final agreed plan was to divert the waters of the Snowy Mountains region to provide increased electricity generating capacity and to provide irrigation water for the dry west. It was "greeted with enthusiasm by the people of Australia" and was seen to be "a milestone towards full national development".{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}
The chief engineer, [[New Zealand]]-born [[William Hudson (engineer)|William Hudson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/hudson.html|work=The New Zealand Edge: Heroes: Builders|title=William Hudson|publisher=IP Holdings Limited|editor=Sweeney, Brian|year=2011|access-date=5 May 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016102259/http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/hudson.html|archive-date=16 October 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (knighted 1955), was chosen to head the scheme as Chairman of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority, and was instructed to seek workers from overseas. Hudson's employment of workers from 32 (mostly European) countries, many of whom had been at war with each other only a few years earlier,<ref>{{
=== Construction ===
[[File:Cabramurra July 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Cabramurra]], Australia's highest town, is a Snowy Scheme company town.]]
[[File:Lake Eucumbene in April 2012.JPG|thumb|[[Lake Eucumbene]] flooded the township of [[Adaminaby]]. It is the largest reservoir in the Scheme, with a capacity some nine times that of [[Sydney Harbour
[[File:Tumut3GeneratingStation.jpg|thumb|Tumut 3 generating station]]
[[File:Towards Kosciuszko from Kangaroo Ridge in winter.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Kosciuszko]] and the [[Snowy Mountains|Main Range]]. Water from [[Snowy Mountains]] snow melt is used to generate electricity and divert water for irrigation.]]
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[[File:Tumut Pond aerial.jpg|thumb|Aerial photo of [[Tumut Pond Dam|Tumut Pond Reservoir and Dam]], 2009]]
[[File:Snowy Scheme Museum.JPG|thumb|The [[Snowy Scheme Museum]], in [[Adaminaby]]]]
[[File:Guthega ski resort.jpg|thumb|[[Guthega|Guthega Ski Resort]] was built above [[Guthega Dam]].]]
Construction of the Snowy Scheme was managed by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority. It officially began on 17 October 1949 and took 25 years, being officially completed in 1974.
An agreement between the [[United States Bureau of Reclamation]] and Snowy Mountains Hydro to provide technical assistance and training of engineers was agreed between the [[United States]] and Australia in [[Washington, D.C.]], on 16 November 1951.<ref>{{cite web|title=Agreement between the Governments of Australia and the United States relating to Technical Assistance for the Snowy Mountains Project [1951] ATS 22|url=http://www3.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/treaties/1951/24.html|website=Australian Treaties Library|publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute|access-date=17 April 2017|archive-date=13 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413072946/http://www3.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/treaties/1951/24.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> A loan for $100 million was obtained from the [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|World Bank]] in 1962.<ref>World Bank document, '[http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/900161468220168590/pdf/multi-page.pdf Appraisal of the Snowy Mountains Project Australia'], 11 January 1962, (accessed 20 October 2019)</ref>
Tunneling records were set in the construction of the Scheme and it was completed on time and on budget in 1974, at a cost of {{AUD}}820 million; a dollar value equivalent in 1999 and 2004 to A$6 [[1,000,000,000|billion]].<ref>{{cite speech|last=Besley|first=M. A. (Tim)|url=http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=398|title=The Need for Infrastructure Projects — Then and Now <!-- |venue=Alstom International Association (The Overseas Club) -->|date=11 August 1999|work=ATSE Focus No 109, November/December 1999|publisher=Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE)|access-date=9 March 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718124401/http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=398|archive-date=18 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|last=Anderson |first=John |author-link=John Anderson (Australian politician) |url=http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/ja/pressconf/2004/APC9_2004.htm |format=transcript |date=7 June 2004 |title=AusLink, Peter Garrett, US relations, Iraq, Federal election |work=Ministers' speeches |publisher=[[Department of Transport and Regional Services (Australia)]] |access-date=9 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060919222034/http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/ja/pressconf/2004/APC9_2004.htm |archive-date=19 September 2006 }}</ref><ref name = "ASCE"/> Around two thirds of the workforce employed in the construction of the scheme were immigrant workers, originating from over thirty countries. The official death toll of workers on the Scheme stands at 121 people. Some {{convert|1600|km}} of roads and tracks were constructed, seven townships and over 100 camps were built to enable construction of the 16 major dams, seven hydroelectric power stations, two pumping stations, {{convert|145|km}} of tunnel and {{convert|80|km}} of pipelines and aqueducts. Just 2% of the construction work is visible from above ground.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{citation|title=Information plaque|publisher=[[Snowy Scheme Museum]]|location=Adaminaby}}</ref>
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The Scheme is operated by [[Snowy Hydro|Snowy Hydro Limited]], an [[unlisted public company]] incorporated pursuant to the {{Cite Legislation AU |Cth|act|ca2001|Corporations Act, 2001}}, owned by the Australian Federal government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/news/share-sale-business-as-usual-at-snowy-hydro/|title=Share Sale: Business as usual at Snowy Hydro|date=2 March 2018|publisher=Snowy Hydro|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212115047/http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/news/share-sale-business-as-usual-at-snowy-hydro/|archive-date=12 December 2019|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref>
There is currently further work ongoing for the expansion of the snowy scheme under the Snowy scheme 2.0 announced in 2017. Despite government support it has
==Environmental concerns==
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=== Major dams and reservoirs ===
The Scheme's largest dam is [[Talbingo Dam]] with an embankment volume of 14 488 000 m<sup>3</sup> and a wall height of 161.5
With a capacity of {{convert|4798400|ML|e9impgal+e9USgal}}, Lake Eucumbene is the largest reservoir in the Scheme. At the other end of the scale, Deep Creek Reservoir is the smallest reservoir with just {{convert|11|ML|e6impgal+e6USgal}}.<ref name="autogenerated1" />
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==== Expansion plans ====
In March 2017, the Australian government then headed by [[Malcolm Turnbull]] suggested a $2 billion project expanding the 4.1 GW Snowy Mountains Scheme by 2 GW of pump storage for a week, building new tunnels and power stations, but no new dams. The 80% efficiency of such storage can be sufficient in leveling differences between supply and demand.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/snowy-hydro-20-malcolm-turnbull-announces-plans-for-2-billion-expansion-20170315-guyozj.html |title='Snowy Hydro 2.0': Malcolm Turnbull announces plans for $2 billion expansion|date=15 March 2017|access-date=18 March 2017|via=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170317193301/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/snowy-hydro-20-malcolm-turnbull-announces-plans-for-2-billion-expansion-20170315-guyozj.html |archive-date=17 March 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://reneweconomy.com.au/turnbull-drives-stake-through-heart-of-fossil-fuel-industry-48916/ |title=Turnbull drives stake through heart of fossil fuel industry|date=15 March 2017|access-date=18 March 2017|quote=minus 20 per cent losses|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170317202901/http://reneweconomy.com.au/turnbull-drives-stake-through-heart-of-fossil-fuel-industry-48916/ |archive-date=17 March 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Dubbed
==Tourism==
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The [[Snowy Scheme Museum]] opened at Adaminaby in 2011 to profile the history of the Scheme.<ref name=ABC>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-17/snowy-scheme-museum-opens/3574192|title=Governor-General opens Snowy museum|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=17 October 2011|access-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017010950/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-17/snowy-scheme-museum-opens/3574192|archive-date=17 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Though [[skiing in Australia]] began in the northern Snowy Mountains in the 1860s, it was the construction of the vast Snowy Scheme from 1949, with its improvements to infrastructure and influx of experienced European skiers among the workers on the Scheme, that really opened up the mountains for the large scale development of a ski industry, and led to the establishment of [[Thredbo]] and [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]] as leading Australian resorts.<ref name="thredbo.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.thredbo.com.au/village-life/about-thredbo/|title=History|work=About Thredbo|publisher=Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd|year=2013|access-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501120115/http://www.thredbo.com.au/village-life/about-thredbo/|archive-date=1 May 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="perisherblue.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.perisher.com.au/resort-information/history.html|title=The History of Perisher|publisher=Perisher Blue Pty Limited|year=2013|access-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006165957/http://www.perisher.com.au/resort-information/history.html|archive-date=6 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The construction of [[Guthega Dam]] brought skiers to the isolated [[Guthega]] district and a rope tow was installed there in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianacapital.com/Text/1201316577093-6700/|title=Guthega Ski Resort|publisher=Christiana Capital Group|work=Project management|year=2012|access-date=20 October 2012|archive-date=21 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621125608/http://christianacapital.com/intermediate-only/guthega-ski-resort|url-status=dead}}</ref> Charles Anton, a snowy worker identified the potential of the Thredbo Valley.
== Engineering heritage award ==
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* {{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/national-archives-of-australia/sets/72157622573625836/|title=Power for the People|work= Collections: Exhibitions & Events|publisher=[[National Archives of Australia]]|format=36 construction images|year=2009|type=Permission required}}
* [http://www.snowyhydro.com.au Snowy Hydro Limited]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/snowy_scheme_collection/|title=Snowy Scheme collection|work=Collections|publisher=[[National Museum of Australia]]|year=2008|access-date=1 June 2009|archive-date=11 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011191516/http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/snowy_scheme_collection/|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/[email protected]/0/fde81ae268c76207ca2569de00274c14?OpenDocument|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|year=1986|work=Year Book Australia Special Article|title=The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme}}
* {{cite web|url=http://services.eng.uts.edu.au/cempe/subjects_JGZ/eet/snowy2.pdf|format=PDF brochure|title=The Snowy Mountains Scheme - Australia|work=[[Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority]]|publisher=[[University of Technology Sydney]]|access-date=7 May 2013|archive-date=2 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702141719/http://services.eng.uts.edu.au/cempe/subjects_JGZ/eet/snowy2.pdf|url-status=dead}}
* [http://www.snowyriveralliance.com.au/ The Snowy River Alliance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127224417/http://www.snowyriveralliance.com.au/ |date=27 November 2018 }} — a community group for the protection of the Snowy River
==Further reading==
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