Cooby Dam
title: "Cooby Dam" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["reservoirs-in-queensland", "darling-downs", "dams-in-queensland", "dams-completed-in-1942", "1942-establishments-in-australia", "embankment-dams", "toowoomba-region"] topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooby_Dam" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox dam"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| construction_began | |
| coordinates | |
| country | Australia |
| dam_crosses | Cooby Creek |
| dam_height | 32 m |
| dam_length | 207 m |
| dam_type | E |
| dam_volume | 71 e3m3 |
| image | Boat ramp at Cooby Dam.jpg |
| image_caption | Boat ramp, 2014 |
| image_size | 250 |
| location | Darling Downs, Queensland |
| location_map | Queensland |
| location_map_caption | Location of the Cooby Dam in Queensland |
| name | Cooby Dam |
| opening | |
| operator | Toowoomba Region Council |
| purpose | |
| status | O |
| spillway_type | Uncontrolled |
| spillway_capacity | 680 m3/s |
| res_capacity_active | 19703 ML |
| res_capacity_inactive | 1462 ML |
| res_capacity_total | 23100 ML |
| res_catchment | 159 - |
| access-date | 8 July 2014 |
| archive-date | 14 July 2014 |
| archive-url | https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162004/http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/environment-and-waste/water-supply-and-dams/dams-a-bores/toowoomba-bulk-water/5304-cooby-dam?highlight=WyJjb29ieSIsImRhbSIsImNvb2J5IGRhbSJd |
| date | 2014 |
| publisher | Toowoomba Region Council |
| title | Cooby Dam |
| url | http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/environment-and-waste/water-supply-and-dams/dams-a-bores/toowoomba-bulk-water/5304-cooby-dam?highlight=WyJjb29ieSIsImRhbSIsImNvb2J5IGRhbSJd |
| url-status | dead |
| work | Water supply & dams |
| res_name | Cooby Creek Reservoir |
| res_surface | 301 ha |
| res_elevation | 482 m |
| res_max_depth | 12.5 m |
| :: |
| construction_began = | coordinates = | country = Australia | dam_crosses = Cooby Creek | dam_height = 32 m | dam_length = 207 m | dam_type = E | dam_volume = 71 e3m3 | image = Boat ramp at Cooby Dam.jpg | image_caption = Boat ramp, 2014 | image_size = 250 | location = Darling Downs, Queensland | location_map = Queensland | location_map_caption = Location of the Cooby Dam in Queensland | name = Cooby Dam | opening = | operator = Toowoomba Region Council | purpose = | status = O | spillway_type = Uncontrolled | spillway_capacity = 680 m3/s | res_capacity_active = 19703 ML | res_capacity_inactive = 1462 ML | res_capacity_total = 23100 ML | res_catchment = 159 - | access-date = 8 July 2014 | archive-date = 14 July 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162004/http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/environment-and-waste/water-supply-and-dams/dams-a-bores/toowoomba-bulk-water/5304-cooby-dam?highlight=WyJjb29ieSIsImRhbSIsImNvb2J5IGRhbSJd | date = 2014 | publisher = Toowoomba Region Council | title = Cooby Dam | url = http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/environment-and-waste/water-supply-and-dams/dams-a-bores/toowoomba-bulk-water/5304-cooby-dam?highlight=WyJjb29ieSIsImRhbSIsImNvb2J5IGRhbSJd | url-status = dead | work = Water supply & dams | res_name = Cooby Creek Reservoir | res_surface = 301 ha | res_elevation = 482 m | res_max_depth = 12.5 m
The Cooby Dam is a rockfill embankment dam with an ungated spillway across the Cooby Creek, a tributary of Condamine River, at Groomsville in the Toowoomba Region on the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Toowoomba region. | access-date = 2 July 2014 | archive-date = 12 December 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212120804/http://www.ancold.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Dams-Australia-2010-v1-for-website.xls | format = Excel (requires download) | title = Register of Large Dams in Australia | url = http://www.ancold.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Dams-Australia-2010-v1-for-website.xls | publisher = Australian National Committee on Large Dams | url-status = live | work = Dams information | year = 2010 The impounded reservoir is called the Cooby Creek Reservoir. | feature = QLD8012 | name = Cooby Creek Reservoir (QLD)
Location and features
The dam is located approximately 17 km north of . | access-date = 2 November 2009 | archive-date = 27 July 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080727023946/http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=788%3Atoowoombas-dams&catid=186%3Awater-supply&Itemid=167&limitstart=1 | publisher = Toowoomba Regional Council | title = Toowoomba's Dams - Perseverance Dam | url = http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=788%3Atoowoombas-dams&catid=186%3Awater-supply&Itemid=167&limitstart=1 | url-status = dead The other two storages used for Toowoomba are Perseverance Dam and Cressbrook Dam.
Completed in 1942, the rockfill dam structure is 32 m high and 207 m long. The 71 e3m3 dam wall holds back the 23100 ML reservoir when at full capacity. From a catchment area of 169 km2, the dam creates an unnamed reservoir, with a surface area of 301 ha at a maximum depth of 12.5 m when at full capacity. The uncontrolled un-gated spillway has a discharge capacity of 680 m3/s. The dam is managed by the Toowoomba Region Council. | author1 = Harrison, Rod | author2 = James, Ernie | author3 = Sully, Chris | author4 = Classon, Bill | author5 = Eckermann, Joy | isbn = 978-1-86513-134-4 | location = , Victoria | publisher = Australian Fishing Network | title = Queensland Dams | year = 2008
Cooby Dam's lowest usable storage volume was recorded at 8% in January 2010.
In July 2006, public outcry and a referendum with winning "No" vote rejected plans to place recycled water into Cooby Dam. In 2007, the idea was again resurrected when plans for an advanced water treatment plant to be built near Cooby Dam by the Toowoomba City Council were suggested. | access-date = 2 November 2009 | archive-date = 13 September 2012 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120913112901/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22337308-2702,00.html | author = Mitchell, Selina | date = 31 August 2007 | title = Residents again face recycled water | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22337308-2702,00.html | url-status = dead | work = The Australian The trial would test the re-use of recycled water into Toowoomba's drinking water supply. In 2008, an emergency bore was used to extract water from the Great Artesian Basin to supplement water supplies for the dam as drought conditions reduced supply to critical levels. | access-date = 2 November 2009 | archive-date = 29 July 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220729055918/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-11-26/great-artesian-basin-used-to-top-up-toowoomba/219586 | date = 26 November 2008 | location = Australia | publisher = ABC News | title = Great Artesian Basin used to top up Toowoomba water supply | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/26/2430349.htm | url-status = dead
Recreational activities
A stocked impoundment permit is required to fish in the dam. | access-date = 4 July 2014 | archive-date = 4 July 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140704083953/http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/permits-dams/stocked-impoundment-permit | date = 5 February 2013 | publisher = Queensland Government | title = Do I need a permit to go fishing in a dam? | url = http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/permits-dams/stocked-impoundment-permit | url-status = dead | work = Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | access-date = 8 July 2014 | archive-date = 26 February 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140226140026/http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/Cooby.htm | date = 2006 | publisher = Garry Fitzgerald | title = Cooby Dam (Cooby Creek Reservoir) - Toowoomba. Qld | url = http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/Cooby.htm | url-status = live | work = Sweetwater Fishing Australia
Darling Downs Sailing Club uses the dam. | access-date = 2024-03-05 | language = en-US | title = How to find us – Darling Downs Sailing Club | url = https://ddscinc.com.au/how-to-find-us/
References
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::