Monday, 12 February 2007
Council gives tick to preferred design for Hinze Dam upgrade
Gold Coast City Council today unanimously endorsed the preferred design option for the Hinze Dam upgrade. It will now proceed to detailed design, with construction expected to begin in October 2007.
Economic and Cultural Development Chair, Cr Jan Grew, said the preferred option emerged and a final shortlist of three by the Hinze Dam Alliance which will construct the dam. “The Community Advisory Committee has also unanimously endorsed this design which came out on top because it meets our flood mitigation, water, and dam safety needs, but with less complex construction requirements, and as a consequence, is the lowest cost option,” said Cr Grew.
“The spillway design and configuration is similar to the existing spillway. In one in 100 year loods there will be a 50 per cent reduction in the rate that water can flow downstream.
“The design adopted by Council will almost double the storage capacity of the dam and our new water entitlement licence will be 225 megalitres per day. Right now, due to the excellent community response to saving water, we are staying within our current water usage target of 170 megalitres per day.
“In terms of constructability, the preferred design option eliminates the potential need for blasting near the existing spillway, and the construction engineers will be working with known foundation conditions when they build the spillway.
“To accommodate the simpler spillway design, it is necessary to raise the height of the dam 2.5 metres higher than initially suggested, giving a total embankment height increase of 15 metres.”
Cr Grew said recreational pursuits, including fishing, kayaking, and walking, would continue at Hinze Dam during construction. However, an exclusion zone would apply around the dam wall to ensure public safety.
She said: “The public will continue to be updated about any changes to access and formation sessions, and library and statutory displays will soon be arranged to provide more information about the upgrade.”
