Lake Onslow

Lake Onslow is a man-made lake east of Roxburgh and south of Alexandra in the Otago region of New Zealand. It lies 700 m (2,300 ft) above sea level. It was formed in 1890 by the damming of the Teviot River and Dismal Swamp.

"Onslow PHS" redirects here. For other uses, see Pumped-storage hydroelectricity.

Lake Onslow
Lake Onslow In May 2014
Lake Onslow
LocationOtago, South Island
Coordinates45°33′S 169°37′E
Typereservoir
Primary inflowsTeviot River
Primary outflowsTeviot River
Basin countriesNew Zealand
Surface elevation700 m (2,300 ft)

History

In 2019, the Interim Climate Change Committee proposed that the lake be used for a pumped hydro-storage system to provide backup electricity generation in dry years. The project had first been proposed in 2005 by hydrologist Earl Bardsley of the University of Waikato.[1][2] In July 2020, Minister of Energy Megan Woods announced that the New Zealand government would fund a detailed feasibility study of the plan.[3] If progressed, the scheme would be the biggest infrastructure project in New Zealand since the 1980s, employ an estimated 3500 to 4500 people, and take four to five years to build and a further two years to fill.[4] One option could be 5 TWh of storage and a 1.2 GW power station, equivalent to half a year of full production.[5]

If the project goes ahead it will completely drown and submerge the best remaining example in New Zealand of a small scroll plain with its swirling and migrating meanders (formerly known as Dismal Swamp). The scroll plain is a miniature example of the famous Taieri Scroll Plains [6] nearby and has formed because of the low and decreasing gradient of the stream valley due to slow progressive tectonic back-tilting of the catchment. [7]

References
  1. "Accelerated electrification: Evidence, analysis and recommendations" (PDF). Interim Climate Change Committee. 30 April 2019. pp. 67–68. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  2. Jones, Pam (18 September 2019). "Massive hydro storage plan to be reassessed". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  3. "Central Otago hydro project could be 'game changer'". Otago Daily Times. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. Thomas Coughlan (26 July 2020). "Government wants 100 per cent green electricity by adding 'battery' power to hydro power". Stuff. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  5. "Does New Zealand's plan for a nation-sized battery hold water?". RenewEconomy. 15 October 2020.
  6. https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-our-environment/water/wetlands-and-estuaries/central-otago-district/upper-taieri-wetlands-complex.
  7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359056158_Lake_Onslow's_small_scroll_plain_Otago_Geoscience_Society_of_New_Zealand_Newsletter_36_22-25.


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