Cotter River

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The Cotter Dam in December 2005, surrounding country still showing the effects of the 2003 bushfires.

The Cotter River is a fresh water river in the Australian Capital Territory.

When the Government surveyor, Charles Scrivener, recommended Canberra as the best site for the national capital, water catchment was a significant consideration. Of the total 910 acres of the Australian Capital Territory, 170 acres were reserved as the catchment area of the Cotter River. The catchment area was calculated to support a planned population of 100,000.

There are three reservoirs on the river, the Corin, Bendora and Cotter Dams which supply water to Canberra. Most of the Cotter catchment is in the Namadgi National Park.

Cotter Dam, a concrete gravity dam built in 1912 and its height raised in 1951 to increase capicity, it has a capacity of 4,700 million litres. Water quailty has deteriorated and it is only used when water is in short supply
Bendora Dam, a double curvature concrete arch dam completed in 1961, it has a capacity of 11,540 million litres.
Corin Dam, an earth and rockfill embankment dam completed in 1967, it has a capacity of 70,900 million litres. It is the highest dam on the Cotter River. Capacity of the Bendora Dam is controlled by releasing water from the higher Corin Dam into the Cotter.

A plan has been proposed to increase water storage capacity in the ACT by increasing the capacity of the Cotter Dam through the construcion of a new dam downstream of the existing dam, which would flood the existing dam.

Recreation

Cotter River picnic area

Just past the dam on the Cotter River are a number of popular picnic areas on the bank of the river with some barbecue facilities and tables. There are a number of areas that are suitable for swimming when there is sufficient water flowing in the river. There is also a short term camping site which can accommodate a very limited number of caravans and tents.

Cotter Road is a motorbike haven

The Cotter Road, route 5, begins as a side road off Adelaide Avenue near the suburb of Deakin. The scenic drive stretches 17.6 km from the centre of Canberra past the suburbs of Curtin, Holder and Duffy, in between Stromlo Forest and Narrabundah Hill Pine Plantation, and past Casuarina Sands into the Cotter Avenue river area. "The Cotter" and the adjoining 7.1 km winding Brindabella Road (the beginning of "The Loop") are well known to motorcyclists, many of whom ride there in the evening after work or on weekends. The Cotter Hotel, which stood near the children's swings alongside the river, was burned down in the 2003 bushfires. It was a well known location for motorcyclists to meet on weekend mornings.

References

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ACTEW Corporation. [Future Water Options]

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