Editing Snowy Mountains Scheme (section)

{{Short description|Hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in the Snowy Mountains, Australia}}
{{distinguish|Snowy Mountains|Snowy Mountain (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox dam
| name                = Snowy Mountains Scheme
| image               = Snowy-Mountains-System (de).png
| image_caption       = Map of Snowy Mountains Scheme
| coordinates         = {{coord|-36.12|148.6|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}}
| country             = Australia
| location            = [[Kosciuszko National Park]], [[New South Wales]]
| purpose             = [[Hydroelectricity]] and [[irrigation in Australia|irrigation]] project
| status              = Operational
| construction_began  = {{start date|1949|10|17|df=y}}
| opening             = {{start date|1972|10|21|df=y}}
| cost                = {{AUD}}820&nbsp;million
| operator            = [[Snowy Hydro Limited]]
}}
The '''Snowy Mountains Scheme''', also known as the '''Snowy Hydro'''<ref>{{Cite web | title=Home - Snowy Hydro | url=https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/ | access-date=2024-12-26 | website=www.snowyhydro.com.au}}</ref> or the '''Snowy scheme''', is a [[hydroelectricity]] and [[irrigation in Australia|irrigation]] complex in south-east [[Australia]]. Near the border of [[New South Wales]] and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], the scheme consists of sixteen major dams; nine power stations; two pumping stations; and {{convert|225|km}} of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts that were constructed between 1949 and 1974. The Scheme was completed under the supervision of Chief Engineer, [[William Hudson (engineer)|Sir William Hudson]].  It is the largest engineering project undertaken in Australia.<ref name="The Snowy Mountains Scheme" /><ref name=ABS /><ref>{{cite book|author1=Lewis, Wendy|author-link=Wendy Lewis|author2=Balderstone, Simon|author3=Bowan, John|title=Events That Shaped Australia|pages=189–194|publisher=New Holland|year=2006|isbn=978-1-74110-492-9 }}</ref>

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 Sea]], is captured at high elevations and diverted inland to the [[Murray River|Murray]] and [[Murrumbidgee River]]s irrigation areas.  The Scheme includes two major tunnel systems constructed through the [[continental divide]] of the [[Snowy Mountains]], known in Australia as the [[Great Dividing Range]]. The water falls {{convert|800|m}} and travels through large hydro-electric power stations which generate peak-load power for the [[Australian Capital Territory]], [[New South Wales]] and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref name=ABS>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/FDE81AE268C76207CA2569DE00274C14?Open#|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme|date=1 January 1986|access-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009155114/http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/FDE81AE268C76207CA2569DE00274C14?Open|archive-date=9 October 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/422.html|title=The Snowy Mountains Scheme|work=Technology in Australia 1788-1988|publisher=Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre|year=2000|access-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916085904/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/422.html|archive-date=16 September 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Scheme also provides some  security of water flows to the [[Murray-Darling basin]], providing approximately {{convert|2100|Gl|cuft}} of water a year to the basin for use in Australia's irrigated agriculture industry.

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>