Wild weather lashing the east coast of Australia has pushed the Warragamba dam to exceed capacity and spill over, with the dam expected to stay full for the next two weeks. The rain forecast has been closely monitored by WaterNSW and the Bureau of Meteorology throughout this week, with predictions that the inflow could likely push both the Warragamba and [...]
The Queensland Government and Powerlink are undertaking ground investigations, geotechnical testing, and further detailed analytical studies to investigate the suitability of Borumba Dam for a major pumped hydro energy storage project. For pumped hydro to be possible at Borumba, a new dam would be required upstream of the existing Borumba Dam to create the upper reservoir and be filled from [...]
by Annabelle Powell, Journalist, Utility magazine Dams play a critical role in securing our water supply, so it’s vital that issues such as seepage – which threaten their integrity – are detected as early as possible. Here, Utility explores how Hunter Water has employed innovative satellite technology to increase the accuracy of its dam monitoring. Hunter Water has implemented cutting-edge [...]
The Queensland Government has announced the opening of a competitive tender for 110,000ML of unallocated water from the Flinders River general reserve, aiming to support agricultural development in the Flinders catchment. Water Minister, Glenn Butcher, said, “We are delivering on our commitment to open the tender this year so we can get this water flowing to this community. “This water [...]
As more heavy rain is forecast for the week, WaterNSW is working with the Bureau of Meteorology and regional airspace reference panels to manage inflows into dams. With dam storage levels high, most catchments saturated and wetter than average weather conditions forecast by the Bureau for the near future, WaterNSW is monitoring rain forecasts and making releases to increase storage [...]
Tamworth and the Peel Valley are on track for greater water security, with the final route for the new 55km Dungowan Dam pipeline announced. The pipeline will run from the proposed new Dungowan Dam to Tamworth Regional Council’s Calala Water Treatment Plant. The preferred route was finalised after months of extensive studies, assessments, technical investigations and community consultation. Landowners were [...]
The Western Australian Government has launched a new hub for water research and practice as part of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI), with local partners joining forces with the institute. The Water Sensitive Cities Australia WA hub will ensure the latest science is applied to local water-focused projects and priorities, drawing on MSDI's diverse and strong research capabilities, and [...]
As the owner of most of the state’s large supply dams, WaterNSW gives the highest priority to the ongoing safety of its dams to protect people, property, and the environment from the harmful effects of failure or mis-operation of its dams and reservoirs. Delivering Operational Excellence is one of the corporate strategic priorities, given that WaterNSW is the largest bulk [...]
Rockhampton Regional Council will soon be closing tenders on a business case for a long term water solution for Mount Morgan, with the successful tender set to be announced in coming weeks. This comes as the council continues to cart water up the mountain for its residents, costing the community millions. Rockhampton Mayor, Tony Williams, said it was a key [...]
The Federal Government has announced it will be funding two preliminary business cases for water infrastructure projects in Central Queensland, providing $3.7 million to fully fund investigations into future construction and upgrades of water infrastructure – through the National Water Grid Fund. The funding is aiming to bolster water reliability and provide the additional water needed to grow local agricultural [...]
The Western Australian Government has secured $20 million in Commonwealth funding for water infrastructure projects for farmers, through the Commonwealth's National Water Grid Fund Connections funding pathway. The Western Australian Government has advocated for WA farmers for close to 12 months to secure the funding, whilst continuing to invest in the state's agricultural, community and strategic water supplies. Water infrastructure [...]
The Borumba Dam Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) project has reached a new step in consultation, with tenders called for initial engineering and consulting services to deliver design and costings for the project. At 1GW and 24 hours storage, the Borumba PHES project will be Queensland’s largest pumped hydro project, with the potential to power up to 1.5 million homes [...]
The NSW Government and Hunter Water are requesting feedback on the draft Lower Hunter Water Security Plan. The draft Plan is the culmination of more than three years of comprehensive investigations and assessment, underpinned by in-depth engagement with the community, to ensure the growing Lower Hunter region has the water security it needs for a prosperous future. The draft Lower [...]
The Western Australian Government has announced the official completion of the 43km Albany to Denmark pipeline – future proofing year-round water supply in the face of climate change and ensuring the region is not solely reliant on Quickup Dam. The new pipeline was constructed in response to years of declining rainfall in the region due to climate change, which has [...]
Hunter Water has implemented cutting-edge satellite technology to monitor Grahamstown Dam and Chichester Dam, with the technology boasting millimetric accuracy. The state-of-the-art safety upgrade engages Australian company Detection Services in partnership with United Kingdom-based analytics experts Rezatec. The three-year programs at the two dams will capitalise on Rezatec’s Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (AI), increasing the frequency and accuracy of monitoring while [...]
WaterNSW will be upgrading the five embankment dams of Lake Cargelligo after a combination of historic flood events and recent flooding in 2016 impacted embankment conditions. Temporary works are completed and have successfully managed any potential risk in the interim, however the new upgrades will ensure the Lake Cargelligo community continues to benefit from the lake’s storage, including long-term water [...]
The 2021/22 Victorian Budget has invested nearly $44 million towards water sector initiatives that will improve the health of key waterways and provide immediate benefits to regional economies, as well as a $110 million investment in essential energy functions, safer powerlines and Zero Emissions Vehicles. $24.5 million will be devoted to helping regional economies in East Gippsland and North East [...]
Facing ongoing influences such as climate change, dam owners are under increasing pressure to ensure the safety of their assets. The consequences of failure are becoming more significant too, in light of factors like downstream urbanisation. With asset owners integrating new solutions to help them rise to the challenge, Hunter Water has turned its eyes skyward in a bid to [...]
Barwon Water is gearing up to convert its disused Bellarine Basin site into more than 30 hectares of environmental and public open space. The project will see the removal of the old reservoir, enabling the natural headwaters of Yarram Creek to be restored and wetlands to be established. The pine tree plantation, which contains trees that are nearing the end [...]
The preliminary phase of AGL and Idemitsu’s feasibility study for the proposed 250MW Bells Mountain pumped hydro project at Muswellbrook is close to completion. The preliminary engineering study began in 2019 to determine whether the project is technically feasible, provide cost estimates for both construction and operation, and assess the required planning and approval processes. AGL Chief Operating Officer, Markus [...]
TasWater has commenced essential infrastructure upgrades at the Upper Reservoir Dam in the Waterworks Reserve, to bolster water supply for Hobart customers. The Upper Reservoir Dam is around 130 years old and is critical to Hobart’s water supply. TasWater Dam Safety Manager, Fraser White, said the works will include upgrading and improving the dam while maintaining its heritage elements. “Modifications [...]
Queensland’s Coordinator-General has declared the $60 million Big Rocks Weir proposal a coordinated project. The proposal has been designed to boost water supply in the Charters Towers region. Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Steven Miles, said the project will now undergo a full environmental impact assessment process “The Queensland Government supports progressing investigations into the construction of a [...]
Several dams are overflowing across the states as rainfall and extreme weather conditions continue from two collided systems. The volume of water spilling from Warragamba Dam in NSW is currently 300 gigalitres per day (GL/day), after falling from an overnight peak of 500GL/day. This is down from yesterday’s initial spill rate of 450GL/day yesterday (Sunday, 21 March) as days of [...]
Rookwood Weir is set to stand higher than originally anticipated, with the Queensland and Federal Governments each committing another $7.5 million for the project to unlock an additional 10,000ML of water for central Queensland. Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said Sunwater and its construction partners have identified an opportunity in the design phase to raise the crest height of Rookwood Weir [...]
In a landmark class action settlement ten years on from the Wivenhoe Dam flood disaster, almost 7,000 victims have been awarded a partial settlement of $440 million. Following a judgement by the NSW Supreme Court, the operators and engineers of Wivenhoe Dam were found responsible for actions that exacerbated the 2011 floods in Brisbane. It was found by experts that [...]
The Victorian Government has released its 2020/21 Budget, which includes $562 million for river health, $65 million for urban waterways and $1.6 billion for clean energy. The $562 million to improve the health of Victorian rivers will preserve native habitats and help secure the future of the state’s waterways – and the Victorian businesses and jobs that rely on them. [...]
Construction has begun on the $25.6 million Vasse Diversion Drain upgrade in Busselton, Western Australia, which will improve flood mitigation for the town during significant rainfall events. Water Corporation's upgrade includes widening 5.5km of the drain and reconstructing dam structures to increase the drain's capacity and improve the structural integrity of the banks, which were originally constructed in the 1920s. [...]
$968 million has been allocated in the Western Australian Government’s 2020-21 State Budget for new regional water infrastructure projects over the next four years. The funding will also service improvements and upgrades to existing facilities through the Asset Investment Programs run by the State Government's three water corporations. Regional Western Australia is expected to benefit from a range of water [...]
Construction work is now underway on strengthening the embankment wall of the Ewen Maddock Dam, after the lake was lowered to less than 60 per cent. Together with Sunshine Coast-based local contractor Hall Contracting, Seqwater installed six siphons to safely release water. By using gravity and siphons in place of more traditional systems like diesel-fuelled pumps, carbon emissions have been [...]
WaterNSW has been monitoring levels at the Warragamba Dam, which is now at 100 per cent capacity, and is taking steps to maintain operational safety while ensuring security of supply for Greater Sydney. All dams are either managed as water storage dams or flood mitigation dams. For water storage dams, the purpose is to store the maximum amount of water [...]
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