: News Article

Upgrade options for Ross River Dam to be assessed

01/05/2001

NQ Water has awarded a $500,000 tender to a consortium of two engineering consulting firms, Sinclair Knight Merz and the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, to supply an in-depth assessment of options for upgrading Ross River Dam.

The brief is in keeping with new guidelines established by the Bureau of Meteorology for estimating the maximum flood capacity of all large dams in Australia.

NQ Water Chairman, Ian Hamilton, said key objectives of the project are to identify reasons for undertaking possible upgrades or remedial work, so as to ensure a standard of safety that satisfies requirements of all relevant authorities and the community.

"Upgrade options include, but are not be limited to, spillway modification, auxiliary spillways and raising the embankment. Potential impacts downstream or upstream of the dam are also a vital consideration.

"As part of the assessment the consultants must supply a detailed economic and financial analysis of short-listed upgrade options that will assist if necessary in developing submissions to the government to seek funding support," Mr Hamilton said.

"Since Ross River Dam was commissioned in 1974 the large population spread in the surrounding area, especially over the past decade, has placed even greater emphasis on the dam's safety values, although the likelihood of a major incident remains as before, extremely small.

"In commissioning this assessment of upgrade options for Ross River Dam, NQ Water is complying with new national safety guidelines and leaving nothing to chance on the question of dam security," Mr Hamilton said.

The assessment is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

More information:
Ian Hamilton
Mobile: 0418 777 284

Media contact:
Harry Landman
Telephone: 4779 6619
Mobile: 0418 743 376

© 2004 NQ Water