Council to conduct safety tests on dam gates
Date published: 1 May 2020
Townsville City Council is testing the Ross River Dam spillway gates next week as part of a routine safety regime.
Townsville Water and Waste Committee Chair Cr Russ Cook said the test is conducted yearly to ensure the gates comply with all legislation.
“The yearly testing is conducted to ensure we comply with all legislation and is an essential part of Council’s dam management plan,” Cr Cook said.
“Each of the gates will be opened individually to a height of 250mm above the spillway crest for a period of 10 minutes. Another test will require all three gates being opened 250mm simultaneously for a period of 10 minutes.
“The gates will be tested using both the diesel and electrical pump systems from multiple control points around the dam to ensure all backup systems are functional.”
The testing requires the release of a minor amount of water through the spillway – approximately 55ML or less than 1/3 of the cities daily water usage – which is not expected to have any noticeable effect on the water level in the dam.
A siren may be heard in the vicinity of the dam during the gate operation.
