How does the Snowy Mountains scheme work?

Answer 1

There were (and continue to be) both positive and negative effects of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme for Australians.

During its construction, many people were displaced from their homes and, while they were offered new homes, these could not replace the memories or the fact that their families had lived in those homes for generations. The original town of Adaminaby was completely dismantled and moved to higher ground to make way for Lake Eucumbene, which would feed the Scheme. Many people lost their livelihood as well: stock (cattle, horses, etc) was no longer permitted to be grazed in the High Country.

Safety was an issue. The workers were under pressure to complete the Scheme in the quickest possible time, so were "encouraged" to work longer hours, and offered bonuses for doing so. This meant that sometimes dangerous shortcuts were taken. Over the time of the Scheme's construction, there were 121 deaths on the worksites: 35 of these occurred during tunnel construction, while the rest were on the roads in and around the sites.

However, during its construction the scheme was a valuable source of employment, for tens of thousands of Australians and post-war immigrants who fled their war-torn countries. The Scheme offered these people the chance to rebuild their lives in a new country, with opportunities they would not have otherwise had. As one of the wonders of the engineering world, the Scheme involves sixteen dams, seven power stations, a pumping station and over 225 km of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts, so both skilled workers and labourers were attracted to the scheme.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme has many advantages still now. It generates electricity and redistributes water to the Murray River, where it is used for farming and irrigation. The total electricity capability is up to about 3700 MW, which works out to roughly 10% of the needs of New South Wales, though this depends on having enough rainfall and melting snow.

Answer 2

The Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia, in the Australian Alps between Victoria and New South Wales. It is considered to be one of the wonders of the engineering world. The Scheme involves sixteen dams, seven power stations, a pumping station and over 225 km of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts.

The Snowy Mountains scheme generates electricity and redistributes water to the Murray River, where it is used for farming and irrigation. The total electricity capability is up to about 3700 MW, which works out to roughly 10% of the needs of New South Wales, though this depends on having enough rainfall and melting snow. The Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme was built between 1949 and 1975.

Answer 3

The Snowy Mountains Scheme has had considerable economic, environmental and cultural impact on Australia.

The purpose of the scheme was to harness the massive power of the melting snow for the purposes of providing hydro-electricity, whilst at the same time storing water that could be used for towns, farming and irrigation. Instead of just having the water flowing into the Snowy River and eventually out to sea, the scheme aimed to actively use the water efficiently.

Economically, the scheme was and is important for several reasons. It provided work for tens of thousands of people at a time when unemployment was high. Started in 1949 the post-war period, it attracted migrants from all over the world, who helped contribute to the rich multiculturalism of Australia. It continues to supply necessary water to the farming industries of inland New South Wales and Victoria. The power stations of the Snowy Mountains Scheme also provide up to ten per cent of the electricity requirements for the entire state of New South Wales.