November 14, 2016
Mark Bailey
A $50 million project to repair the Boondooma Dam spillway has been awarded to Australasian civil engineering firm Fulton Hogan.
Queensland Water and Energy Minister Mark Bailey said on Monday the project was essential to maintain a secure and efficient water supply for the region’s industry and will be a boost to the local economy, supporting around 120 jobs.
“Boondooma Dam provides critical water supply for agricultural, domestic and industrial customers, including one of the state’s largest electricity generating sites, Tarong Power Station,” Mr Bailey said.
The Boondooma Spillway Repair Project will address damage sustained during the 2011 and 2013 floods.
“Detailed assessments were undertaken immediately after the floods to identified priority works to minimise the impact of future extreme weather events on the dam spillway,” Mr Bailey said.
“Our engineering team has completed extensive drilling, geotechnical surveying and hydraulic modelling to identify the most effective and cost efficient design for the repairs.”
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said Fulton Hogan was highly experienced in regional water infrastructure construction.
The company will carry out work to strengthen the spillway chute, which will include the installation of additional defensive anchors and concrete protection of the spillway walls.
“SunWater are confident that the dam and construction works present no additional risk to downstream residents,” Mr Pitt said.
“In 2013, the dam safely passed the most significant flood event on record and, based on expert analysis of the current infrastructure, we’re confident there are no immediate safety issues.
“Construction works are scheduled to commence in January 2017 and will not impact public access to recreational amenities, with only minor traffic and noise disruptions are anticipated.”
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