Critical safety improvement works have commenced on the Cressbrook Dam which provides more than sixty percent of Toowoomba’s water storage capacity.
The Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project (CDSIP) will see the spillway widened and an increase in the height of the section of the dam wall responsible for temporary flood capacity and mitigation measures.
The $54 million project was awarded to the CDSIP Alliance comprising Seymour Whyte and Concrete Institute of Australia Bronze member, SMEC Australia.
Seymour Whyte Managing Director/CEO Steve Lambert said the construction team is applying specialised construction knowledge to safely deliver what is a “complex dam upgrade” while the dam remains operational.
“Dam and worker safety are essential during construction, particularly on a constrained site in a steep and remote location,” he said.
The CDSIP is 33 km north-east of Toowoomba. It is one of several major water infrastructure projects in the region either underway or due to begin in the coming years, according to Toowoomba Deputy Mayor Rebecca Vonhoff.
“What makes this project particularly complex is that we’re carrying out major construction works on a dam all while managing the water currently stored in it,” Councillor Vonhoff said.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the start of construction was a welcome milestone for the region.
“This project is about more than concrete and construction, it’s about protecting communities, securing our water supply and building the infrastructure regional Queensland needs to grow,” Ms Frecklington said.
Image: The Cressbrook Dam supplies water for 180,000 people. Credit: Queensland Government.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia, at the helm since December 2013, and our weekly news writer since 2016. Her expertise in this field forms part of a journalism career spanning three decades. To get in touch please email desi@corbettcomms.com