Construction commences on $60M Copeton upgrade
19 July 2011
NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Natural Resources Troy Grant MP has welcomed the commencement of construction on the deepest fuse plug spillway in Australia at a ceremony at Copeton Dam yesterday.
The 250-metre-wide spillway is part of the $60 million Copeton Dam safety upgrade to enable the dam to withstand extreme floods and ensure it meets standards set by the NSW Dams Safety Committee.
The upgrade is one of seven throughout regional NSW funded by the NSW Government and managed by State Water Corporation.
“The four bay, 12 metre-deep, fuse-plug spillway will allow Copeton Dam to safely pass more water in the event of an extreme flood,” Mr Grant said.
“As responsible dam owners State Water is upgrading these storages to ensure they continue to protect downstream communities for the long term.
“Aside from the long term safety benefits, a capital works project of this magnitude will also inject millions of dollars into the economy over the duration of work.”
A plaque was also unveiled for the new State Park administration building (the Northcott Centre) during the ceremony, after it was rebuilt and other facilities were relocated to make way for the new spillway.
Guests at the ceremony heard from the wife of the late Dr John Northcott who the Northcott Centre was named after.
"Dr John Northcott was the Chairman of the Copeton Waters State Park Trust for many years and one of the visionary men who worked to build Copeton Dam in 1968," Mr Grant said.
“The new State Park facilities look fantastic and I would encourage people to think about visiting the dam, testing out the new play equipment and barbecues and seeing how it has changed.
Macmahon Contractors was awarded the spillway construction contract in April 2010 and have established the site in preparation for the works.
State Water Acting CEO Michael Jeffery said Macmahon had recently completed construction on the Burrendong upgrade near Dubbo in NSW and also completed construction the Blowering Dam upgrade near Tumut.
“10 Macmahon staff have moved to live in Inverell during the project, some with their families, which in itself will inject more than $1 million into the local economy over the course of the project,” Mr Jeffery said.
“In addition to accommodation requirements they will source local materials and supplies where possible, such as electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and things like concrete and sand.
“The total injection into the economy from the construction phase alone is estimated to be between $5 million and $10 million which is great news for the region.”
Media contact: Jane Urquhart, State Water Corporation (02) 6841 2087 or 0429 449 711
