Renewed urge to ‘most critical water project in the modern history of Queensland’

After more than a century false starts, an important DAM project from Queensland is back to the starting line and, as always, there is no promise that it will ever end the race.

For the first time presented in 1922 for the Dawson River near Taroom in Central Queensland, the Nathan -dam has repeatedly stuck in recent decades, most recently in 2021.

But with water safety problems throughout the region, regional leaders unite the state government to finance a good investigation or the project of $ 3.4 billion-plus dam is stepping.

The New Life, published by Western Downs Regional Council (WDRC) in 2023 and officially supported by Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC), includes the construction of a dam 30 kilometers northeast of Taroom.

It would also be a pipeline that extends more than 700 km through the western downs to Toowoomba.

Water ‘become like gold’

WDRC described Nathan Dam as “the most critical water project in the modern history of Queensland”, in which mayor Andrew Smith quoted urgent urban, agricultural and energy needs.

“Water becomes more like gold every day,” said Smith.

“Many of our communities are not too far away from the approaching of non -durable levels.”

Smith said the dam was needed to support the flowering agricultural and energy sectors of the region.

Data Agtrends data showed that the Toowoomba region in 2023-24 was the best agricultural producer in Queensland with a gross production value of $ 1.27 billion, followed by the West-Downs at $ 951 million.

“If the state wants the Western Downs to participate in the economy, we must come up with a solution for water,” said Smith.

The pipeline alone is expected to cost at least $ 750 million, while the broader project was linked to cost at least $ 3.4 billion – although this was considered a “significant underestimation” in a more recent report for TRC.

Toowoomba vice-mayor Rebecca Vonhoff, who owns the water portfolio, said that despite all three regional dams are full, the growth of the region, in combination with future climate risks, demanded long-term water planning.

“There is a tendency to lean back a little, and that is really not the way to go,” said Mrs. Vonhoff.

“We have to move forward now, because this is exactly the time that we can try to make a number of major strategic decisions when we don’t have the weight to really have to think of a solution quickly.”

Mother ‘will never be big enough’

Buryan Shire Mayor Nev Ferrier, whose region would organize the 888-megalitre Dam, said he in principle supported it but was skeptical.

“There is no way in the world we would be against sending water down [to Western Downs] Before using the city, but if they want to irrigate, it would be a lot easier to buy land here and use water that is already here instead of building hundreds of kilometers of pipeline – that is billions of dollars, “said Mr. Ferrier.

He said that the idea of ​​pumping all that water into pipelines connected to other dams further to the south would mean that his community “would end with nothing here”.

He also wondered if the Dam would be big enough to serve his goal and was concerned about environmental obstacles.

“It will never be big enough,” said Mr. Ferrier.

“It would be almost impossible to pass all the environmental stumps that they will now put for you.”

Mr. Ferrier referred to the Boggomoss slag, an endangered species from the area, which has brought an important obstacle for earlier versions of the project.

Council Endorses Project

Despite the challenges, TRC formally approved the project during a meeting on Tuesday, while he excludes further research for a new dam in Emu Creek, north of the city.

Minister of Water Ann Leahy said she was aware of the renewed advocacy and said that the state rated water infrastructure projects in Queensland, including Nathan Dam.

Mrs. Leahy would not confirm whether there was financing next week for a feasibility study in the state budget.

However, she said, “We must ensure that we do not invest in things that do not stack.”