Dam would have saved $25M damage from ‘99 Gympie flood: Bligh

Hydraulic modelling assessment of the1999 flood indicates that the peak water level in Gympie would have been reduced by about 4 metres had the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam been in place, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said today.

“Much of the $25 million damage to houses, businesses, roads and local industry would have been prevented,” she said.

Based on Bureau of Meteorology data, had the dam been in place at least 80 of the 130 businesses affected by the 1999 flood would have been saved.

“And flooding to most, if not all, of the 60 residences affected by the flood would have been prevented. Reduced flood impacts would have substantially reduced the cost to the rural community and prevented damages to road infrastructure.

“Importantly, the dam would also have the effect of substantially mitigating the effects of smaller, more frequent floods.

Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd said that plans that a detailed flood warning system and associated gate operating strategies will be developed with emergency services, local authorities and key stakeholders for a range of flood conditions.

The Traveston Crossing Dam will be designed and built to resist full flood and earthquake loading in accordance with The Queensland Dam Safety Management Guidelines and The Australian National Committee on Large Dams Incorporated (ANCOLD Inc.) Guidelines in Dam Safety Management.

Current design concepts include a spillway on the right abutment of the dam with five flood control gates that will be designed to pass a probable maximum flood.

That is, the dam would be capable of withstanding a flood so large that there is a less than a one in 500,000 probability of it occurring.

The flood control gates on the spillway will allow the dam to reduce downstream flooding impacting the town in a major flood.

While flooding would still occur, the effect would be minimised and the maximum height of downstream flood levels is significantly reduced due to the presence of the dam.

Hotline - 1800 225 384 www.qldwi.com.au Deputy Premier’s Office 3224 6900