Peter Faust Dam
A view across the dam from a picnic area, 2011
Peter Faust Dam Location of the dam in Queensland
Interactive map of Peter Faust Dam
Location	near Proserpine, North Queensland
Coordinates	20°21′58″S 148°22′59″E / 20.365992°S 148.383193°E / -20.365992; 148.383193
Purpose	Irrigation Flood mitigation Water supply Recreation
Status	Operational
Construction began	1989
Opening date	1990
Built by	Thiess Bros
Operator	SunWater
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Earth fill dam
Impounds	Proserpine River
Height (foundation)	51 m (167 ft)
Length	535 m (1,755 ft)
Elevation at crest	85.6 m (281 ft) AHD
Width (crest)	10 m (33 ft)
Dam volume	1,570×10^3 m3 (55×10^6 cu ft)
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway length	38.9 m (128 ft)
Spillway capacity	1,670 m3/s (59,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Proserpine
Total capacity	491,400 ML (398,400 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area	270 km2 (100 sq mi)
Surface area	4,325 ha (10,690 acres)
Maximum water depth	39.6 m (130 ft)
Normal elevation	80 m (260 ft) AHD
Website sunwater.com.au

The Peter Faust Dam is an earth-filled embankment dam dam across the Proserpine River, located near Proserpine, in the eponymous settlement, in the Whitsunday Region of North Queensland, Australia.^[1] The resultant reservoir is called Lake Proserpine. Completed in 1990, the dam was built for the purposes of irrigation, flood mitigation, supply of potable water, and recreation.

Overview

Thiess Bros was contracted to construct the dam. Construction of the Peter Faust Dam began in May 1989 and was completed in December 1990, four and a half months ahead of schedule,^[2] in time for a massive downpour which filled the dam.^[3]

The earth-filled dam wall is 51 metres (167 ft) high and 535 metres (1,755 ft) long. The resultant reservoir has capacity of 491,400 megalitres (398,400 acre⋅ft) when full, covering an area of 4,325 hectares (10,690 acres), drawn from a catchment area of 270 square kilometres (100 sq mi).^[4][5] The uncontrolled ungated ogee crest spillway has a concrete-lined chute with flip bucket, and is capable of handling 1,670 cubic metres per second (59,000 cu ft/s).^[6]

The dam reached a level of 98.8% in March 1991, and finally overflowed for the first time in December 2010. It reached its highest level of 1.48m above the spillway in March 2011. The dam overflowed again in March 2012, and March 2013. The dam reached its lowest level of 10.7% in 2007.^[7][8] The dam overflowed again on March 7th 2026. ^[9]

The dam was named in honour of Peter Faust, a former Townsville mayor, whose family had farmed in the district since 1895. Faust was the driving force for the establishment of the dam.^[3]

Fishing

A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish in the dam.^[10]

See also

• List of dams and reservoirs in Australia

References