What's happening with the Clarrie Hall Dam project

16 July 2019

Council recently finalised the scope of works to develop the Environmental Impact Statement for raising the Clarrie Hall Dam wall, which aims to secure the Tweed’s water supply beyond 2026.

Council gave approval in December 2015 to begin the planning phase for raising the wall and acquiring the private property needed to do it.

What has been achieved so far:

• Completed concept design and all the investigative studies required to raise the wall.

• Eleven of the 16 properties needed have been secured and Council is continuing negotiations on the remaining five.

• Council has begun to fence the new dam property and enforce the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines to not allow any stock within the dam boundary.

• Council is well advanced in working with Telstra and Essential Energy on relocating their assets out of the inundation zone.

What’s next?

• In August, Council will award the winning tenderer, which will mark the beginning of a 12 to 18-month-long journey to secure final Ministerial approval for this critical project to proceed.

• Council is about to begin geotechnical investigations to build a new bridge across Doon Doon Creek to replace the existing McCabe’s Bridge because it will be under three and a half metres of water when the raised dam fills.

• Plans are in place to measure and monitor the effectiveness of Council’s efforts to revegetate the land it has purchased and restore it to native mixed eucalypt open forest.

• Council is exploring the feasibility of hydro power generation at the dam and looking into what is required to achieve carbon neutral construction.

• Council is considering drafting a new dam management plan as part of the project and well ahead of construction starting in 2023.