{"id":212956,"date":"2018-07-05T22:22:47","date_gmt":"2018-07-05T12:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=212956"},"modified":"2020-07-30T15:38:26","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T05:38:26","slug":"concerns-mount-over-dam-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/07\/05\/concerns-mount-over-dam-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"Concerns Mount Over Dam Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The State Government has warned that dwindling water supplies at Boondooma Dam could lead to cuts for irrigators if they get much worse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Natural Resources Minister
Dr Anthony Lynham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 6, 2018 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Falling water levels at Boondooma Dam are raising concerns for the State Government as well as irrigators dependent on supplies from the dam.<\/p>\n

Departmental officers will visit Mundubbera on Friday to work with the North Burnett Regional Council and irrigators on local water supply issues.<\/p>\n

Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the issue required a collaborative solution, and departmental staff would start the ball rolling.<\/p>\n

“I understand the importance of Boondooma Dam to the North and South Burnett, and how concerned locals are about falling water supplies,” he said.<\/p>\n

“My departmental staff will get a better handle from councils on the town water situation and the individual water supply circumstances of growers so we can all develop a way forward together.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s a complex situation that needs a collaborative strategy to balance water supply, cost, and energy security.”<\/p>\n

The 204,200 megalitre capacity Boondooma Dam provides critical water supply for local households as well as agricultural and industrial customers, including the Tarong Power Stations. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The dam water level is currently 37.6 per cent.<\/p>\n

If levels drop to 34 per cent, water allocations for irrigators will be restricted to safeguard water supplies for town water and power generation.<\/p>\n

On current usage levels and evaporation rates, this could occur within as little as two to three months.<\/p>\n

“SunWater, as the operator of the dam, has been talking with local growers and Council since the start of the year about how to maximise water efficiency,” Dr Lynham said.<\/p>\n

“Sunwater and Stanwell Corporation, who operate Tarong power station, are also working on short and long-term solutions.<\/p>\n

“Reliable and secure water is paramount and I look forward to seeing a collaborative strategy from Friday\u2019s meeting to work out the next steps.”<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier this week, SunWater released the “announced allocations” for the Barker-Barambah Water Scheme.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It had been predicted that irrigators would face a\u00a01 to 6 per cent drop in Medium Priority water allocations, down from 17 per cent to 10-16 per cent.<\/p>\n

However, the final result is at the lower end of the scale. ie. 10 per cent.<\/p>\n

This means irrigators on the scheme will have only 10 per cent of their\u00a0purchased water entitlement available for use within the next \u201cwater year\u201d (which began on July 1).<\/p>\n

SunWater has not released the “announced allocations” for the Boyne River & Tarong Water Scheme (linked to Boondooma Dam, above) but the predicted amounts had\u00a0indicated a 55 to 95 per cent drop in Medium Priority water allocations, ie. down from 100 per cent for irrigators in 2017-18 to between 5 and 45 per cent.<\/p>\n