QLD Minister for Water Supply Mark McArdle has announced the completion of additional repairs to improve the safety of Paradise Dam ahead of the wet season with the final concrete pour having been completed.
SunWater commenced the dam safety works in late October after geotechnical drilling indicated further strengthening of the dissipater slab below the dam wall was required.
The investigation was part of a safety review of the overall dam structure following the January 2013 flood event where water flowed eight meters over the dam wall.
The repairs to the dissipator slab included specially designed reinforcing and the installation of innovative monitoring equipment which will provide important information to SunWater during times of flood.
Mr McArdle said with the completion of this additional work, SunWater has strengthened the dam in the event of a flood similar in size to the record floods experienced earlier this year.
“The Government is committed to ensuring the safety of Queenslanders and our immediate focus was on strengthening the dam’s safety for the approaching wet season,” he said.
“I wish to commend SunWater, its staff and contactors on an extraordinary effort in completing these works before Christmas and before any significant rain in the region.”
SunWater Chief Executive Peter Boettcher said that the repair effort had been completed on schedule.
“This outcome was the result of SunWater’s onsite contractor, Structural Systems Limited, pre-ordering materials and our staff and contactors working day and night to expedite this important work by Christmas,” Mr Boettcher said.
“Work will continue on repairing other flood damage that was not related to the dissipator slab, including work to repair flood damaged electrical equipment that will continue until mid-2014.”
Paradise Dam will now revert to normal operating procedures, with water releases made in line with customer demand and other operational requirements.
