Mulwala Canal

The Mulwala Canal immediately upstream from its intake from Lake Mulwala in Mulwala, New South Wales

The Mulwala Canal is an irrigation canal in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest irrigation canal in the Southern Hemisphere.^[1] The canal, starting at Lake Mulwala, diverts water from the Murray River across the southern Riverina plain to the Edward River at Deniliquin. The channel has an offtake capacity of 10,000 megalitres (ML) per day and annually supplies over 1,000,000 ML to 700,000 hectares (1,700,000 acres) in the Murray Irrigation Area.^[2]

The canal was constructed between 1935 and 1942.^[3]

As well as water for agriculture, the canal also provides water for the southern Riverina towns of Berrigan, Finley, Bunnaloo and Wakool.^[4]

Pacific Hydro operate The Drop Hydro hydroelectric power station on the canal, near Berrigan. The power station, with a generating capacity of 2.5 MW of electricity, is Australia's first hydroelectric power station on an irrigation canal.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "The Drop Hydro". Pacific Hydro. http://www.pacifichydro.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=125. Retrieved 2009-06-16. 
2. ^ "Yarrawonga Weir". Goulburn Murray Water. http://www.g-mwater.com.au/water-resources/storages/yarrawongaweir. Retrieved 2009-06-16. 
3. ^ "Berrigan: Quiet traditional rural country town". Travel. The Age. 15 August 2007. http://www.theage.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Berrigan/2005/02/17/1108500192735.html. Retrieved 2009-06-16. 
4. ^ "Water supply". Murray Irrigation Limited. http://www.murrayirrigation.com.au/download/3220268.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-16. 

External links

• Murray Irrigation Limited — the operator of the canal

Coordinates: 35°59′S 146°01′E / 35.983°S 146.017°E / -35.983; 146.017