Dams & water

Locals and tourists can go for gold searching for buried treasure in Central Queensland with a new fossicking area established at Mount Morgan. The recreational fossicking area has been established after the Government consented to a General Permission Area (GPA) on State land surrounding Mount Morgan No 7 Dam. 

An additional 100 homes in the Vale View area of the Toowoomba Region will soon be connected to the Bulk Water Supply network, meaning the existing bore will no longer be needed.

Nhill's town water storage tank burst on Wednesday, March 12, at approximately 6:40 a.m. when a low-level water storage facility failed on George Street. A spokesperson for GWMWater confirmed that no injuries were reported but said a small number of nearby residential properties experienced water damage.

Rockhampton Regional Council has reached the final stage of establishing a recreational fossicking area on the land surrounding Mount Morgan No 7 Dam, after Councillors voted to formally request the creation of a General Permission Area (GPA) from the State Government.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler MP has moved a notice of motion at the most recent sitting of NSW Parliament. In a statement made on social media Mr Barwon said weirs are integral in Western NSW.

GWMWater has received a critical planning approval which will allow work to commence in zone four of the East Grampians Rural Pipeline Project. Zone four will extend rural water supply to landholders in Willaura and Moyston.

Toowoomba Regional Council has requested support of up to $200 million for the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project (CDSIP) as its single highest priority in budget submissions to the State and Federal Governments. Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said water security is critical for the Region and a key focus of Council.

The NSW Government has been urged to show its commitment to regional NSW by backing a feasibility study into a community-supported water-saving project. Narrandera resident David Farley, who has spent time abroad developing water management strategies that support both the environment and agriculture, is calling on NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson to back a $1 million feasibility study for the Lake Coolah project.

The visionary Bradfield Scheme – which by design diverts excess floodwaters from the upper Tully, Herbert and Burdekin river systems – could have ameliorated the devastating 2025 North Queensland floods had it been built, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has said.

Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) is looking forward to kicking off the Urban Channel Pipeline Project this year, which will provide a range of benefits to the communities of Griffith and Leeton ... The project is designed to replace inefficient aging channels around Griffith and Leeton with 47.5 kilometres of new pipeline.

A report presented to a Toowoomba Regional Council meeting last week provides insight into how new water infrastructure might impact growth in Westbrook and other areas ... The report indicates a raw water reservoir connected to the Southern Water Treatment Plant (SWTP), which was announced two weeks ago, could be built within Fernleigh.

Yola Cox. Nestled in the picturesque Tooma Valley, the Mannus Creek and its surrounding environment have long been a lifeline for the region’s farms, families and wildlife. However, a series of catastrophic decisions spanning decades have turned this once-thriving ecosystem into a disaster zone. The Mannus Dam was licensed in the 1980s to Ellis Williams. While the licence suggested the dam would support pisciculture, this promise was never realised.

A captivating chapter of Tasmania's industrial heritage - a story of history, engineering, and environmental stewardship that celebrates innovation and resilience in Tasmania's wild west ...The story culminates  with the  remarkable Lake Margaret Hydroelectric Power Scheme - a testament to ingenuity and the enduring legacy of wooden pipelines.

This month, the Gordon Dam, nestled in Tasmania's untamed south-west, reaches a significant milestone - it celebrates its 50th year. It is a marvel of Australian engineering and ambition. This monumental project, completed in 1974, transformed a remote wilderness into a powerhouse of renewable energy, supplying around 25 per cent  of Tasmania's electricity today. Standing 140 meters tall, the 50-year-old dam holds the title of Australia's highest arch dam, constructed using a double-curvature design that maximised strength while minimising costs.

A simple device for measuring the depth of a farm dam was introduced to landholders at a series of workshops in south west Victoria recently. Agriculture Victoria Land Management Extension Officer, and creator of the measuring tool, Greg Bekker said the DAMDEEP device consists of a hand reel, float, beads and a sinker.

The Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro megaproject has marked a significant milestone, with one of three tunnel boring machines (TBM), Lady Eileen Hudson, now two-thirds of the way through its second tunnel excavation. The TBM is approximately four kilometres into the six kilometre ‘tailraceʼ tunnel, which will link the lower Talbingo Reservoir…

Sean Cunningham. The Lake Mejum/Coolah water storage proposal is back in the spotlight, following an announcement from Narrandera Shire Council Mayor Neville Kschenka. Council is seeking funds to conduct a feasibility study into Lake Mejum/Coolah as an off Murrumbidgee River water storage location. A former Narrandera Mayor and Murrumbidgee Valley Water Users group member, Warwick Heckendorf, was an advocate for the project decades ago, but his opinion has since changed.

Two years ago, on 14 November 2022, a wall of water virtually swept the town away, nearly wiping Eugowra from the map. The residents were all but forgotten in the build-up to the event through rushed and late warnings. Immediately after the flood, the emergency response didn’t meet the expectations politicians kept promising after every emergency disaster.

Panel members have now been appointed to lead the independent review into the Wilcannia Weir Replacement Project, marking a significant step forward in the review process. It comes following the NSW Government’s commitment to undertake a review of the Wilcannia proposed weir design.

Sydney has struggled with water shortages since European settlement, relying on various schemes over the years, including the Tank Stream and Botany Swamps ... Warragamba Dam remains one of the world's largest domestic water supply dams, standing alongside iconic projects like the Opera House and the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

The Department of Planning and Environment (Water) advised some months ago that there would be an independent review of the original design of the Wilcannia weir. Several names were recommended to the department by the community to form membership of the Independent Review Panel.

John Murphy. Next Thursday ... will mark exactly 100 years since the residents of Corryong were connected to reticulated (piped) or mains pressure water ... Corryong was officially designated a town in 1875 and from that time until late 1924 householders and businesses were totally reliant for all their domestic and trade water needs on water tanks and often, unreliable wells sunk into granite soil.