A petition has been launched calling for Paradise Dam to be rebuilt to its original capacity and for all technical reports on its damaged wall to be released.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Jack Dempsey received unanimous support from Council to lodge the parliamentary petition.
At the Council meeting today, Mayor Dempsey recounted how Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham announced on 24 September the wall at Paradise Dam will be reduced by five metres for safety reasons.
“This came as a shock to irrigators, other water users and the broader Bundaberg Region community,” Mayor Dempsey said.
“Public safety is of paramount importance and professional engineering advice should be followed.
“The Government should release this advice to the public, so we fully understand the risk to our homes, the risk to our livelihoods and potentially the risk to our loved ones and ourselves.
“No explanation has been provided why the technical reports cannot be released.”
Mayor Dempsey said the community has a right to know how and why they’re at risk and what options there are to repair the damage.
He said his other major concern was water security.
“Paradise Dam was built to drought-proof the Bundaberg Region and to provide confidence in future investment,” he said.
“Water security is vital for the Bundaberg Region’s prosperity, growth, economic development and investment attraction.
“The Government should promise to rebuild the dam to its original capacity or greater.
“With a State Election to be held on 31 October 2020, I call on the Government and the Opposition to guarantee they will do whatever it takes to reinstate the water that’s been lost from Paradise Dam and to ensure long-term water security in the Bundaberg Region.”
Copies of the Paradise Dam petition will be available at Council offices, customer service centres and elsewhere in the community. Copies of the paper version can be obtained by calling 07 4130 4264.
- Sign the online petition at http://ax.lv/pdam.
- Earlier: Councils discuss Paradise Dam concerns
Good work Jack!
And just to add to that; how do the people feel who have already made the investment in their farms with water security in mind for the future through the storage at Paradise Dam?
Everyone seems to have forgotten during the 2013 floods water flowing over the top of Paradise Dam would of filled the dam four times a day so even if the dam wall failed, the flood from the dam would be less than 2013.
That didn’t reach the 100 year flood limit in 2013 the 1000 year limit is 8m higher so they better get their act together who knows when that’s coming they better get their act together and reinforce the dam with a proper spillway that slows the water down not increases it.
We need the dam wall 5 metres higher than what it is now for flood support our homes and more water for the dry weather.
Everyone seems to forget that when the Fred Haig [Monduram Dam] during a drought some 25 years ago got down to only 2% capacity, it was only after that was proven that we need water security and the Paradise Dam was built.
We live on the driest continent on the planet. We need more water security, not less.
Playing politics here again Jack but I do agree with you. The dam has been badly built, excuses and coverups ever since .
With you all the way.
Why aren’t the insurance company coughing up for this injustice?
Are they going to construct a well-built second dam either above or below so that there is still the same or better amount of water storage in the area?
Paradise Dam is a disgrace to modern engineering!!! I lived in Sydney when the Warragamba Dam was completed in 1962 (approx) & later had 30 metres added to its height! and still stands strong & firm! Yet the Paradise Dam has been a complete engineering failure. Why I ask? Was it built to the constraints of an unrealistic budget? Or was it built by an incompetent engineering dam builder. One might ask? This requires an enquiry at the highest level, before someone gets killed. The first signs of failure occurred in 2013 when a major flood hit the dam wall. Then hundreds of tonnes of concrete was used to strengthen the site according to News Mail. God help those that live downstream if the wall bursts. I am very sorry if I have reported wrongly, however, I have done this with the detail available to me.
Well seeing our state government determined to waste this liquid gold, how about making most of this wasted resource and let the sporting clubs, other facilities and the citizens pour the water on to our laws and field without excess water rates. Apparently it is flowing out to see so fast the farmers can’t possibly use it before it is lost.
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