Critical safety component upgraded at Burrendong Dam

The complex task requires hoisting a 40-tonne piece of infrastructure from the lower levels of the intake tower, for protective sealing and inspection, and occurs every 10 years.

The emergency closure gate is located deep in the dam wall’s offtake tower and is a critical safety mechanism to prevent water escaping uncontrolled from the dam in the event of a major emergency malfunction.

In the unlikely event of such an emergency it would be used to plug the dam’s point of release, known as the penstock. The work will not impact dam operations or recreational access to the storage.

While it is not likely the emergency gate would ever be required, it is nonetheless a vital protection mechanism, according to WaterNSW Executive Manager Operations, Ronan Magaharan.

“Dams perform an essential function in storing and releasing water for downstream communities, agriculture and the environment, so it is essential that they always function at their best,” he said.

“Dams are also far more complex than people might suspect, and that includes structural safety and monitoring equipment that must be regularly maintained and inspected.

“Work on the emergency closure gate is one such critical component to ensure the dam is not adversely affected by a major malfunction during a seismic event, for example.

“WaterNSW spends many millions of dollars annually maintaining its infrastructure portfolio so that our dams and major weirs can continue to provide water when and where it’s needed and drive prosperous communities and healthy rivers.”

The work must take place safely within the confines of the intake tower and so the preparation to commence the task can take up to a week. The work is underway and scheduled for completion in coming weeks.