queensland Kurwongbah Need Rain

[rayke1938]

Now all we need is some rain but not before the splash pool below dam is finished or else if dam spills there is a potential for another fish kill.

from seq water newsletter.

April 2019 Latest news Construction on the Sideling Creek Dam upgrade is progressing well and on schedule. The slot in the spillway is now re-instated, which means the water level can return to its original (2015) level over time with rainfall.   Construction progress Spillway work  We are currently working on the area below the existing spillway which forms the basis for the dissipator basin. This part of the dam reduces energy from water flowing over the spillway making it easier for fish to pass the spillway. Concrete pours to thicken the spillway walls are continuing to enhance the spillway’s ability to handle large volumes of water. This work will be complete before Easter. Importantly, the two-metre slot cut in to the spillway crest in 2015 has been reinstated. This will allow the dam to capture an additional two meters of water over the coming months in what has been a very dry summer.   This will benefit the surrounding environment and increase the water available for recreation by about one third.  You may notice these changes as the water level in Lake Kurwongbah returns to its original level over time with rainfall.     Image: Concrete work on the spillway  Image: Reinstating the slot in the spillway  Image: Intake tower with 2015 and 2019 water levels shown Main embankment Construction of the weighting berm along the main embankment is also complete. Over the past few months layers of sand, gravel and rock were placed in the toe of the dam and main embankment.  In total, 7,000 tonnes of rock, 500 tonnes of gravel, 2,500 tonnes of sand were used to complete the weighting berm.  Image: Earth embankment under construction Recreation changes  As the water in the lake returns to its 2015 full supply level there will be an increase in water available for recreation. This great news for those who enjoy water skiing, paddling, fishing and rowing on the lake!  If you are interested to find out more you can download a recreation map from our website www.seqwater.com.au/recreation  Work hours and timing Work hours are from Monday to Friday, 6.30am to 6.30pm and Saturday from 7.30am to 2.30pm.  The project is expected to be complete in mid – 2019. Further information You can stay up-to-date with the progress through the project webpage, click here   Background – Dam Improvement Program Sideling Creek Dam was constructed in 1957 and upgraded in 1969.  In 2012-13, as part of our ongoing monitoring, Seqwater commissioned an independent assessment of Sideling Creek Dam and our other regulated dams. Sideling Creek Dam is one of a number of dams across South East Queensland identified in the assessment for upgrade.  In Queensland, dam owners are responsible for the safety of their dams under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008. Seqwater’s Dam Improvement Program is about upgrading dams in line with the latest engineering standards and to meet the current Queensland Dam Safety Guidelines. Sign up for free dam release alerts Sideling Creek Dam is an ungated dam. An un-gated dam is built in a way that means Seqwater has no control over water spilling from the dam once the dam water level surpasses the Full Supply Level. When rainfall in the catchment results in inflows to an un-gated dam that increase the water level beyond the dam’s Full Supply Level, water begins to flow over the dam spillway. The dam spillway is lower than the dam embankment so that water can flow over the spillway and safely out of the dam into the creek or river system the dam is built on. All un-gated dams help mitigate flooding to some extent. The peak outflow from an un-gated dam during a flood event is less than the peak outflow that would have occurred had the dam not been built, because some water is held in the dam while it is spilling. Sign up to our dam release notification service to be notified when Sideling Creek Dam is spilling and/or nearby North Pine Dam is releasing water. This free service provides subscribers with notifications by email, SMS  or recorded messages to telephone landlines when gated dams are releasing water or un-gated dams are spilling. Register now to get dam alerts or download the Seqwater app from the App Store  or Google Play  on your device. For more information w https://yourseqwater.com.au/sideling-creek-dam-upgrade  e sid and the ministers press release Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham Welcome return to full supply level at Lake Kurwongbah A return to full water level at Sideling Creek Dam has been welcomed by skiers, paddlers, rowers, fishers and Member for  Kurwongbah Shane King. “With upgrades to Sideling Creek Dam well-advanced, the dam’s storage – Lake Kurwongbah –  is set to return to its original full supply level, after it was lowered to allow the project to be carried out safely,’’ Mr King said. “The lake is a popular spot for fishing, paddling, rowing and skiing and restoring the lake to its original level is welcome news. “This dam storage is vital to the community and the lifestyle locals enjoy here,” Mr King said. “Lake users have been patiently waiting for Lake Kurwongbah to return to its full capacity and it will improve recreation opportunities at the lake and make the scenery even more picturesque. “Just recentrly Lake Kurwongbah Water Ski Zone members, who were running one of their ‘Come and Try’ days for charity, said how impressed they were.’’ Minister for Natural Resources Dr Anthony Lynham said the $18 million upgrade was an essential investment to make the dam more resilient to extreme floods and earthquakes. Once completed, Dr Lynham said the upgrade would also enhance recreation and deliver environmental improvements for the lake and surrounding catchment. “In 2015, Seqwater lowered the water level of Lake Kurwongbah by two metres as work began on this important upgrade,” Dr Lynham said. “Significant progress during construction has now reached a point to allow for the spillway crest to return to its original height.  “That means with enough rainfall, the lake will return to its original full supply level, increasing the surface area of the lake by one-third.” Seqwater Chief Executive Officer Neil Brennan said the improvements to the dam spillway would enhance the spillway’s ability to handle large volumes of water. "Now that the spillway crest has been returned to its original height, work will focus on areas downstream of the spillway. "Improvements are also underway to mitigate erosion in the downstream area and improve the ability for fish to pass,” Mr Brennan said.  Construction work for the project is expected to be completed by June this year. Media enquiries: David Potter 0428 411 617     Unsubscribe

[Drop Bear]

Are they putting in any fish ladders? 

[rayke1938]

no fish ladders just cleaning up the splash pool and designing it so that fish do not get stranded when overflow ceases.There have been some massive fish kills there in the past when the pool became stagnant. There are plans for fish ladders to be built on all dams in QLD and maybe our grandkids will see them in their lifetimes.

Cheers

Ray

[Drop Bear]

4 hours ago, rayke1938 said:

no fish ladders just cleaning up the splash pool and designing it so that fish do not get stranded when overflow ceases.There have been some massive fish kills there in the past when the pool became stagnant. There are plans for fish ladders to be built on all dams in QLD and maybe our grandkids will see them in their lifetimes.

Cheers

Ray

 I fished the splash pool under Hinze Dam a while ago. It was full of bass most of which had fin rot. I spent a day catching them and putting them in tubs then driving to the creek and releasing them. No idea if any of them lived. 

There are plans to get rid of fish barriers the length of the Murray Darling. It will be interesting how they go in the larger stocked dams. Weather the bass will all head down to spawn.

[rayke1938]

There is a fish lift on Hinze there is a pond with an environmental flow where fish wishing to go upstream congregate. The fish are trapped and sorted ( Ensuring that no pest fish will be released into the dam ) and then taken upstream and released. If you have ever caught a tagged bass or toga that has been tagged by Dave Roberts it would have been one of these fish. There is a vidio showing the operation of the fish lift somewhere on the site.

Cheers

Ray 

[Drop Bear]

17 hours ago, rayke1938 said:

There is a fish lift on Hinze there is a pond with an environmental flow where fish wishing to go upstream congregate. The fish are trapped and sorted ( Ensuring that no pest fish will be released into the dam ) and then taken upstream and released. If you have ever caught a tagged bass or toga that has been tagged by Dave Roberts it would have been one of these fish. There is a vidio showing the operation of the fish lift somewhere on the site.

Cheers

Ray 

Nice. I haven't been to Hinze dam for about 20 years. It was before the dam upgrade. I suspect they put the lift in then?