Teachable moments
1.The Snowy Hydro Scheme is mostly located in the Kosciuszko National Park.
However, only two per cent of its engineering features are above the ground
2.The Snowy River rises on the slopes of Mt Kosciuszko, 7000ft above sea level
3.Guthica Project aka Little Norway comprised of the largest group of Norweigans
outside of Norway
4.The Snowy Hydro Scheme took 25 years to complete
5.The Snowy Mountains Scheme consists of sixteen major dams, seven power
stations, a pumping station and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts
6.The entire scheme stretches over 5,124 square kilometres of mountainous area in
southern New South Wales
7.The water that is diverted by the scheme to surrounding farmlands is said to
contribute to over $3 billion in agricultural produce
8.The Snowy Hydro provides approximately 32% of all renewable energy that is
available to the eastern mainland grid of Australia and up to 10% of all electricity
needs of New South Wales
9.Before the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme, the iconic
Snowy River was the largest snowmelt river in Australia
10.In order to meet electricity and water irrigation demands, the construction of the
Snowy Hydro Scheme has lead to the diversion of 99 per cent of the Snowy Rivers
mean natural flow at Jindabyne
Teaching plan/activity
To demonstrate the numerous stakeholders involved in the scheme and the pressures
and demands on the Snowy, Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers at present, including:
energy production, irrigation to farmlands and towns, recreational and environmental
Fill a nalgene to represent the available water in the Snowy Hydro
Allocate each person to a demand
Pass the Nalgene to each person (starting with energy, irrigation etc and finishing
with environmental) taking a sip (or multiple) to represent water allocation
1.Energy production (houses, hospitals, schools, traffic lights)
-Eg. five sips
2. Irrigation to farmlands (fruit, grains, grazing)
- Five sips
3. Irrigation to towns (South Australia)
- Five sips
4. Recreational (fishing, paddling, steam engines)
- Three sips
5. Vegetation
- One sip
6. Frogs
- One sip
7. Fish
- One sip (running out)
8. Mammals
- One sip (running out)
9. Water birds
-One sip (running out