Lake Aviemore was first investigated as a hydro-generation option in the early 1920s but construction of the dam and power station did not begin until 1962.
| – | The dam has both earth and concrete sections. |
| – | Concrete sections incorporate the intakes, powerhouse, spillway and sluices. It is made of 18 separate blocks containing a million tonnes of material. |
| – | The earth section contains about 1.2 million cubic metres of material; it has an impervious clay central core supported, both upstream and downstream, by massive shoulders of compacted sand, gravel and rock. |
| – | The spillway allows water to bypass the powerhouse and can cope with a flow of 3,700 cubic metres per second, a „once-in-a-thousand-years“ flood. |
| – | A fish spawning race allows trout to migrate upstream from Lake Waitaki to spawning grounds close to the dam. Up to 3,000 adult trout can be accommodated in the race. |
Key statistics
– Lake Aviemore area: about 29 square kilometres
– Length of dam: 760 metres
– Length of concrete section: 330 metres
– Nominal annual generation: 900 GWh
– Installed capacity: 220 MW