Dawson Valley
History
The Dawson Valley Water Supply Scheme was Queensland’s first major irrigation undertaking and was established by resolution of State Parliament in 1923. Construction of works within the Area commenced in 1924.
The first farms in the Theodore Section on the right bank of the Dawson River were opened in 1926 and landholders occupied their selections early in 1927. The first farms in the Gibber Gunyah Section on the left bank of the Dawson River were opened and occupied in 1957.
The Dawson Valley Water Supply Scheme extends along the Dawson River from upstream of Theodore to downstream of Boolburra, north of the Capricorn Highway. It contains two channel systems – Theodore and Gibber Gunyah.
Uses of Water
Irrigation
Crops grown in the scheme include cotton, fodder, cereal and horticultural crops such as wheat, barley, oats, maize, mung beans, soybeans, sunflowers, sorghum and peanuts.
Urban Water Supplies
The scheme provides water for the towns of Theodore, Moura, Baralaba and Duaringa.
Industrial
Coal mines and an ammonium nitrate plant in the Moura-Kianga area, and a gold mining venture at Cracow are also supplied from this scheme.
Major Storage
The scheme relies on a network of weirs along the Dawson River, including;
| Theodore Weir | Constructed in 1930 |
| Orange Creek Weir | Constructed in 1932 |
| Moura Weir | Constructed in 1946 |
| Glebe Weir | Constructed in 1971 |
| Neville Hewitt Weir | Constructed in 1976 |
| Gyranda Weir | Constructed in 1987 |
Channel/Pipeline System
The channel supply network is 56 kilometres in length. A drainage system, comprising 54 kilometres of open earth drains, is also in place. The Theodore Pumping Station, with three centrifugal pumps, and 2 pumps on Castle Creek supplies water to the channel system of the Theodore, while the Gibber Gunyah system is supplied by a separate pumping station comprising three pumps.