Dam Safety Upgrades

Hume Dam upgradeState Water Corporation's dams were built to the engineering standards and practices of that time. In order to remain compliant, it is now necessary to upgrade seven major dams to ensure our assets continue to operate in line with evolving international standards.

The dam upgrades will:

  • Ensure dams can withstand extreme flooding
  • Ensure dams continue to comply with the NSW Dams Safety Committee standards
  • Ensure our dams are managed in accordance with standards set by the Australian National Committee on Large Dams
  • Maintain the highest levels of dam safety
  • Accomodate latest developments in geotechnical and dam engineering
  • Cater for revised rainfall and extreme weather projections from the Bureau of Meteorology

It is anticipated around $100 million will be injected into regional economies throughout NSW, supporting jobs and bringing new, unique skills to communities surrounding the dams as a result of the dam upgrades.

The dam upgrades are for extreme floods and normal dam operations will not be affected by the upgrades.

For more information click on the links below. 

Blowering DamBlowering Upgrade
Storage capacity:1,628,000 megalitres
Upgrade cost: $33 million
Start date: June 2009
Completed: December 2010

Split Rock DamSplit Rock Upgrade
Storage capacity: 370,370 megalitres
Upgrade cost: $9.9 million
Start date: 2011
Expected completion: 2012

Keepit DamKeepit Upgrade
Storage capacity: 425,510 megalitres
Upgrade cost: in excess of $100 million
Start date: 2009
Expected completion: 2012

Wyangala DamWyangala Upgrade
Storage capacity: 1,220,000 megalitres
Upgrade cost: in excess of $25 million
Start date: 2009
Expected completion: 2014

Burrendong DamBurrendong Upgrade
Storage capacity: 1,188,000 megalitres
Upgrade cost: in excess of $20 million
Start date: 2010
Expected completion: 2014

Chaffey DamChaffey Upgrade
Storage capacity: 62,830 megalitres
Upgrade cost: Stage 1, 2 and augmentation $56 million
Start date: 2010
Expected completion: 2014

Copeton DamCopeton Upgrade
Storage capacity: 1,364,000 megalitres
Upgrade cost: in excess of $50 million
Start date: 2010
Expected completion: 2012

Hume DamHume Upgrade
Storage capacity: 3,005,156 megalitres
Upgrade cost: $60 million
Start date: 2010
Expected completion: 2015