News
2 October, 2024
Let’s drink to this
South East Queensland’s (SEQ) largest drinking water dam is celebrating a milestone birthday this year, with Wivenhoe Dam providing water security and flood mitigation to the Somerset and surrounding areas for 40 years.
Completed in 1984, Wivenhoe Dam has been pivotal in supplying approximately 50 per cent of SEQ water supply, and has supported the agricultural industry, employment opportunities and recreation in the region for decades.
65-year-old Wivenhoe Field Ranger, Greg Ruttley, has worked with Seqwater for nearly 40 years and has fond memories working on the original construction of the dam.
“At 22, I was working for a contractor screening gravel and stockpiling sand from the river. I would then transport these materials over to the construction site where Wivenhoe Dam was being built,” he said.
“I am proud to have contributed even a small part to the construction of the dam all those years ago.
“Having experienced first-hand the importance of recreation at Lake Wivenhoe — I am a fisherman who used to bring my late father-in-law to the lake for a day out — it is a privilege to be part of a team that maintains these sites, helping others to create memories as well.”
Part of Seqwater’s Dam Improvement Program, Wivenhoe Dam will be upgraded to ensure it continues to provide ongoing safety, water security and recreation for years to come.
Seqwater Interim CEO, Will Harpham, said the Wivenhoe Dam Improvement Project will ensure the dam meets modern engineering and design standards, which have evolved in the past 40 years.
“Geotechnical investigations commenced at Wivenhoe Dam in June.
The works carefully assess the ground conditions and help to further understand the dam’s foundations,” he said, “This work will help to inform the Options Analysis, which is currently underway exploring a range of technical options for the upgrade, which is required to be complete by 2035.
