Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has implemented various changes to the management of its water supply network to support the reduced full supply of Cressbrook Dam.
This will allow construction to get underway on the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project, while reducing the amount of water that needs to be released.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said Council was required to lower the level of Cressbrook Dam to safely deliver the $270 million project.
"This isn't a decision we've made lightly," Mayor McDonald said.
"Releasing water is something we need to do to enable construction to be safely completed.
"Cressbrook Dam needs to be at or below 70 per cent capacity to allow for a critical section of works on the dam to be completed safely and that's why Council has implemented these changes.
"Under these temporary measures, water will be released gradually over a four-to-five-month period in coming months. This period may be extended if higher than expected rainfall occurs during this time.
"We are not able to lease or sell the water to downstream landholders, but we are continuing to investigate other options to minimise the cost of returning the water to Cressbrook Dam following completion of the works.
"We understand the importance of water security and have looked at all practical options to effectively use the water for the time that the release is occurring, in line with the capacity of the pumping infrastructure that is used to extract water from the dam.
"Ultimately, the single largest opportunity to efficiently lower the dam water level will be achieved through careful management of our water network.
"Changes to the management of Council's water network include not drawing on Cooby and Perseverance Dams as well as reducing the use of various bores which normally assist in the supply of water across the Region.
"While Council considered various options on how the community may benefit through the process of achieving the reduced full supply level of the dam, each of these had major drawbacks and may not have achieved the core objective of reducing the dam level.
"Council also considered the importance of our long-standing water-wise messaging and the fantastic work of our community in heeding that messaging over many years which is also why we chose to continue with water restrictions at this time.
"The changes have already resulted in an additional 4 megalitres per day being pumped from Cressbrook Dam. This is the most efficient and practical way for the community to benefit, along with Council's continued advocacy to the Federal and State Governments for funding to support the project," Mayor McDonald said.
"Council will also advocate for a positive outcome from the State on costs should the need arise for water to be pumped back to Cressbrook Dam from Wivenhoe Dam in the future."
The Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project, which is legislated by the State Government, will improve dam safety at Cressbrook Dam and ensure the dam remains a reliable and quality water supply for our Region.
Dam Safety Conditions placed on Council by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water have assessed the dam to be "high risk", requiring an immediate improvement.
The project will widen the dam spillway to increase flood resilience and protect landholders downstream in the Somerset Regional Council area (Cressbrook Creek, including Toogoolawah).
