NRS-21953 | Aerial Photographs of Proposed Dam Sites

The Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission [II] and its successor, The Water Resources Commission, contracted the Central Mapping Authority (Department of Lands) to produce aerial photographs of selected catchment areas. The Central Mapping Authority produced sets of aerial images of NSW for its own purposes in regular five to seven year cycles, but also conducted aerial photography flights for other agencies as ‘special orders’, such as this set. The images, which capture the natural and man-made features of the landscape at a point in time, were used by the Commission to plan new, and extend existing, dam infrastructure. The images supported analysis, background research and decision-making as well as being used for mapping, site location and surveying purposes. This series contains black and white aerial photographs taken between 1969 and 1984 of catchment areas related to proposed dam sites.The images show the natural and man-made features of landscape and were used by the agency to plan and manage dam sites. The photographs are of: Bell River (1969), Wallangarra Pike Creek (1972?), Chaffey Dam Site (1974?), Stanthorpe (pre 1976), Cudal (pre 1976), Berriquin Drainage Boomanoomana (1983), Split Rock Dam (1983), and Tillegra Dam (1984). There are also undated sets of images for Gwydir River Dam (Bingara), Cudal (Tamair), Wee Waa, and Glennies Creek Dam Site. A single running number has been imposed on the items in this series because it was not possible to reconstruct the original order of the items. They are grouped roughly by dam location but the run numbers for different dam locations are not in numerical or date order. The original numbering system is one used by the Central Mapping Authority (Department of Lands) and relates to their control records for the master film, e.g. NSW1713 Run 3 frame 044 Cudal (Tamair) P.O. 5715 A.A.M.906 W.C.& I.C.There is an alphanumeric film number with the prefix “NSW” followed by a three or four digit number (e.g. NSW1234). The film number is usually etched on a corner of each of the glass plates. Each film roll had content gathered in one run or flight. A flight report was created for each run. The related Key Diagrams plotted the runs in sets on a map, noting the location at which each image was taken. The run number was marked on the cover of the box the plates were originally housed in. Spatial Services holds index cards and reports which identify which runs on the film were done on behalf of the Commission. The frame numbers refer to the start and end frames on the film which relate to the target location being photographed on behalf of the Commission.