March 28, 2014
Work began at the weekend on a $26.3 million construction project at Tarong which should pump at least $7 million into the South Burnett economy.
The Black Creek Dam diversion project will cut a 3.1km long stormwater channel to protect the Tarong power stations’ ash dam from flood damage.
It will re-link the catchment area behind the Black Creek Dam directly to Meandu Creek, bypassing the ash dam and recreating a linkage which had existed up until the 1980s when the ash dam was built.
During the 2011 floods, the Black Creek Dam overflowed for the first time in its life, causing erosion to the adjacent 250ha ash dam.
Tarong Power Stations Site Manager Dennis Franklin said today the ash dam was never at any threat of overflowing in 2011 but the level did rise to a point that triggered a mandatory report to the State Government’s environmental agency.
The ash dam was not affected at all by the 2013 floods.
The new diversion channel will ensure that the 2011 situation can’t happen again because flood water will not flow into the ash dam.
“This will substantially reduce the risk of the ash dam subsequently overflowing and releasing contaminants into Meandu Creek,” Mr Franklin said.
The channel will be up to 20m wide in places and will be designed to handle one-in-100 year rainfall events; it has been estimated that 598,000 cu metres of soil will have to be excavated.
Surplus spoil will be used to provide a “cap” on the surface of the ash dam.
The channel will also include several “energy dissipation” structures to slow floodwater down before it enters Meandu Creek.
York Civil has been appointed the external contractors to oversee the construction of the channel.
They have about 25 workers on site at present but this is expected to grow to about 60 as the project progresses.
The diversion channel is scheduled to take about nine months to complete, with workers staying in accommodation in Kingaroy, Nanango and Yarraman.
“It is estimated that more than $7 million will be spent locally through plant hire, rock, sand, concrete and gravel, accommodation and other services,” Mr Franklin said.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the project was a great economic boost for the region but more importantly, it also secured the long-term viability of the ash dam and reinforced the importance of the power stations.
“It provides confidence that we are maintaining them as a source of energy for Queensland into the future,” she said.
