Early and Enabling Works 

While detailed planning for the business case continues, Seqwater has identified an opportunity to undertake Early and Enabling Works, as announced here.  

The Early and Enabling Works are required to be completed irrespective of the final design configuration and will involve a range of preliminary activities that support the main dam upgrade.  

Early and Enabling Works in and around Somerset Dam are expected to progressively commence and are likely to include:  

• Broad scale geotechnical investigations including the installation of dam surveillance instrumentation. 
• Removal of existing spillway (radial) gates as these no longer form part of Seqwater’s operation of the dam.  
• Replacement of the sluice gates (gates at the bottom of the dam wall) and outlets that are reaching the end of their serviceable life. 
• Construction of a temporary coffer dam that will help to maintain a dry work site downstream when investigations and construction commences in areas currently submerged. 
• Relocation of the existing operations facilities to allow construction of the future main dam upgrade. 
• Temporary and permanent access road works including a permanent realignment of Esk-Kilcoy Road and a new access to the dam wall from Wivenhoe-Somerset Road. 
• A range of investigations, studies and assessments to support finalisation of the Detailed Business Case for the main dam upgrade. 
   

Main Dam Upgrade

Seqwater is developing a Detailed Business Case for the Somerset Dam Improvement Project. As part of this work, extensive technical investigations have been undertaken to inform design options, including geotechnical investigations, hydraulic modelling of the spillway and dissipator basin using a scale laboratory model, 3D scanning of the dam wall, downstream bathymetry and lidar aerial surveys. 

While a final design configuration for the Somerset Dam Improvement Project will be determined through the Detailed Business Case process, current design elements are likely to include:  

• Raising the height of the dam wall to improve dam function during very extreme floods 
• Extending and reinforcing the dissipator basin and training walls, plus adding a new control structure, downstream of the spillway to reduce energy from the spillway flow in very extreme weather events 
• Adding concrete to the downstream face of the dam wall to help strengthen the wall. 
   

For More Information 

To sign up for project updates and receive updates on upcoming community engagement opportunities, fill out the newsletter subscription request at the bottom of the web page, or email us requesting to be added to the Somerset Dam Improvement Project update list.  

For more information on the project, contact the project team via: 

• 07 3432 7000 (during business hours) 
• [email protected] 

Non-English speakers call 131 450 and ask for Seqwater on 07 3035 5500. 

If you have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service and give the number 07 3035 5500 a call or visit www.relayservice.gov.au for more information.