Coolmunda Dam works to improve reliability in weather events

• Dam maintenance and erosion works commence
• New gauges to boost flood warning network
• Healthy water allocations predicted for 2023-24

A range of activities are underway at Coolmunda Dam, near Inglewood, to enhance the dam’s reliability and improve the catchment’s flood warning network.

Upgrades to counterweights in the dam’s gates will ensure their ongoing reliability, while downstream bank erosion damage caused by flood events will be addressed to prevent further bank loss.

Dam operator Sunwater has engaged Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure to undertake this work.

A custom lifting frame has been designed and constructed to extract four 15-tonne weights from their vertical gate chambers. A traditional crane is unable to complete all the required lifts. The counterweights have been in service since the gates were installed during the dam build in 1968.

The project will create up to 20 jobs, with four positions to be filled by Goondiwindi residents.

Queensland Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said the maintenance works at Coolmunda Dam are critical to ensure its ongoing safe and efficient operation.

“These works will guarantee this important piece of infrastructure continues to support agriculture and industry in the region for many years to come,” he said.

“The locals engaged on this project are undertaking work that will deliver direct economic benefits to their community.”

Concurrent to this work, McCoskers Contracting will repair flood-affected areas downstream of the dam, filling them with rock and concrete to strengthen the banks for future flood events.

Sunwater CEO Glenn Stockton said the gate and erosion works will increase Coolmunda Dam’s operational reliability during weather events.

“The maintenance works to the dam’s infrastructure and downstream flood-affected areas will enhance its resilience, and increase the health and longevity of the its spillway gate operations,” he said.

“The innovative lifting frame built for this job will create efficiencies for the purposes of lifting the counterweights from their chambers. It will also be retained for use on future gate refurbishments at Coolmunda Dam.”

It is expected work will be completed by September 2023, weather permitting, while an estimated $1.2 million will be spent locally on materials, accommodation and food.

Flood warning network upgrade

The Coolmunda Dam catchment flood warning network is being upgraded to improve forecast information and provide more accurate weather event data.

New rainfall and river flow gauges have been installed in the upper catchment of Coolmunda Dam, at Waroo, and along Treverton Creek. An existing river flow gauge at Artunga will be relocated further downstream of the Macintyre Brook.

Following a flood event in December 2021, discussions between Sunwater, the Goondiwindi Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG), Queensland Reconstruction Authority and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) highlighted the need to make improvements.

Goondiwindi Regional Council Mayor the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the works will ensure access to enhanced rainfall and river flow data leading up to and during major rainfall events. “In 2021, we witnessed the impact significant rainfall across the catchment can have,” he said. “Improving our flood warning system is essential if we want access to critical real-time information as we all work to keep people safe,” he said.

“Having accurate data more readily available will help the LDMG, BoM and Sunwater when forecasting or making decisions regarding significant rainfall events.” Sunwater will take ownership of the gauges and share flood warning data with other stakeholders during emergencies.

Good numbers predicted for 2023-24 water allocations

Sunwater has issued announced allocation predictions for the upcoming 2023-24 water year.
High and medium priority customers in the Upper Condamine (Leslie Dam) region are predicted to receive 100 per cent of their allocation for the next 12 months.

Macintyre Brook (Coolmunda Dam) customers can also expect good allocation figures with the bulk share component of the scheme expected to be 100 per cent, while the predicted range for Chinchilla Weir medium priority is 7-53 per cent and Cunnamulla is 51-64 per cent.

Sunwater will confirm announced allocation numbers in the first two weeks of July 2023 and they will be effective as at 1 July.