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Above: Tarraleah and Tungatinah hydropower stations are located in the Central Highlands region and operated by Hydro Tasmania


j In 1949 the dam was expanded and improved using new technologies and materials to develop a more efficient method of water collection and storage for agricultural areas. One of the innovations was a ‘roaded catchment’ which is a sloped area with a corrugated surface that collects rainwater and channels water into a dam. This technology was considered one of the greatest single advances in water conservation for the state. Other works on the dam in 1949 increased its capacity from 1.4 million litres to 9.1 million litres. As the population in the Lake Grace district continued to grow over the years, so did the need for more water and by 1975 the town became connected to the Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme providing a more reliable water supply for all residents. “James Dam was an incredible achievement in establishing a new and effective way of collecting rain water in an area that had very poor rainfall and assisted farmers in the Wheatbelt greatly,” commented Heritage Minister David Templeman. “The design also proved that roaded catchments were considerably efficient in capturing and directing rainwater. This simple design was very cost effective at the time and allowed farmers in the area to design smaller scale versions for their own farm dams.” While not currently operational, inclusion in the State


Register will ensure the protection of James Dam’s heritage values for future generations and “recognises the technological innovations of Water Corporation and its predecessors in helping facilitate the development of the eastern Wheatbelt” added Water Minister Dave Kelly.


Snowy factory The 130,000 concrete segments that will line the


tunnels for the 2GW Snowy 2.0 pumped storage project in Australia will be produced locally, with Snowy Hydro announcing the launch of its precast factory in Cooma, New South Wales. The A$5.1 billion Snowy 2.0 project is already


Below: Trevallyn Dam in Launceston, Tasmania pictured in July 2018. The Australian Water Association awarded the dam’s new eel bypass Regional Infrastructure Project of the year for 2021


delivering jobs and significant economic benefit to the regions. More than 1200 people are working on the project including over 220 jobs during the segment factory construction and operation. “Right from the start, we wanted to build this factory locally rather than import segments from overseas or interstate because it meant local jobs, opportunities and investment,” said Snowy Hydro CEO and Managing Director Paul Broad. “It’s with great pride that we celebrate the official launch of this critical facility for Snowy 2.0 alongside our principal contractor and factory operator Future Generation Joint Venture.” The factory operations include a concrete batching


plant and two automated carousels, producing up to 24 rings, each one made of nine segments, per day. Raw materials are sourced from the local area to mix concrete within the batching plant, which is then transferred into the factory and poured into specially designed moulds every ten minutes. Around 70,000 tonnes of slag – a by-product of the


steel manufacturing process – is used to produce the segments. This recycling initiative reduces the amount of cement required by 40 per cent. The segments will supply the three Snowy 2.0 tunnel boring machines as they excavate and line more than 27km of tunnels between Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs. Currently, more than 600m has


14 | December 2021 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


been excavated in the main access tunnel by the Lady Eileen Hudson TBM, with a second TBM – named Kirsten – being assembled ready for commissioning and launch. The Snowy 2.0 project will link two existing Snowy Scheme reservoirs, Tantangara and Talbingo, with 27km of waterway tunnels and a power station with six pump-turbines located about 800m underground.


Dungowan Dam contract SMEC has been appointed to deliver the detailed


design for WaterNSW’s proposed Dungowan Dam in north-west New South Wales following its successful delivery of the concept design in early 2021. The earth and rockfill dam is being developed to maintain a secure, long-term water supply for local communities, industry and agriculture. SMEC’s Chief Technical Principal on the project, Jonathon Reid, has been working on the concept design and will be the embankment design lead on the project. “Over the past year working on Dungowan Dam, we have developed a deep understanding of the particulars which make this project unique and interesting. As we step into the next phase of the project, all of our previous learning will be a great asset,” he said. “After a very long period where there have been only a few major new dam projects in Australia, it is exciting to again be completing a detailed design and hopefully soon seeing the project through to completion.” The detailed design for the dam will include:


● Further geotechnical investigations. ● Embankment design; spillway design. ● Outlet works design (structural and hydro mechanical).


● Decommissioning of the existing Dungowan Dam. ● Ancillary works including road design and utility supplies.


Innovative Melbourne Water A pioneering approach to create and sustain healthy


wetlands has gained Melbourne Water recognition in the influential 2021 Most Innovative Companies list. Melbourne Water’s Wetlands Analytics Visualisation


Environment (WAVE) technology was chosen for its innovative approach to analysing aerial wetland vegetation photography and providing an instant report on growth and health. “Wetlands are crucial to Greater Melbourne as


they filter water and pollutants before entering local waterways. WAVE allows us to accurately count and monitor vegetation over time, which also helps us protect Melbourne’s biodiversity,” Melbourne Water Managing Director, Michael Wandmaker said.


Space technology Australian start-up, mDetect, a spin-out company from


Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, is using particles from space, known as muons, to help mining companies detect weaknesses in tailings dams. The ground-breaking hazardous waste early warning system has received a A$1.5 million co-investment grant, from the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) Commercialisation Fund, to help fast track commercial production. Swinburne University of Technology’s Vice- Chancellor Professor Pascale Quester said research and education into space technologies and their


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