Foodbowl farmers fear Paradise Dam will dry up

Water storage capacity has been nearly halved at Paradise Dam, with farmers fearing their main irrigation source could run out of water by mid-year.

Paradise Dam near Bundaberg in Queensland. Picture: John Wilson

Water storage capacity has been nearly halved at Paradise Dam, with farmers in one of Australia’s most productive regions fearing their main irrigation source could run out of water by mid-year.

The Palaszczuk government on Monday again refused to commit to restoring the full capacity of the 300,000-megalitre dam, near Bundaberg, which has been undergoing repairs after being deemed unsafe in the event of major flood.

Capacity of the dam has been cut to 160,000ML, with more than 100,000ML released into the ocean, from lowering the 53m wall by 5.8m for repairs, which began in May last year.

The dam was severely damaged in major floods in 2011 and 2013, with revelations in the past 18 months that dam operator SunWater was aware of the extent of design and structural problems in 2015.

Local farmers, who collectively produce more than a quarter of Australia’s food crop, said new modelling by SunWater has indicated they could be receiving minimal water allocations.

Lawyer Tom Marland said local farmers were wanting to fast-track a mooted class action against SunWater. “I can understand why the local farming community is so worried about the potential of very low announced allocations in July this year,” he said. “It’d be like asking the average household to survive on 5 per cent of their normal groceries budget … it is simply unworkable.”

Farmers have accused SunWater of ignoring expert advice that proposed repairs to restore the full capacity of the dam and instead forged ahead with a “quick fix” lowering of the dam wall that would permanently reduce the region’s water security.

Federal Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt, the local MP, said farmers deserved to have the dam returned to its full capacity after investing hundreds of millions of dollars into the region.

Mr Pitt said the dam, built by the Beattie Labor government and opened in 2005, was the “biggest infrastructure failure by any state government” in the country.

“If the dam’s capacity is not restored, it will have a massive flow-on effect and damage our regional economy for decades to come,’’ he said.

“Growers have invested based on the reliability of the water supply from Paradise Dam for many years and they have been hung-out to dry.

“Premier Palaszczuk has maintained a silence during this debacle on the back of her government’s incompetence.’’

The state government has previously been told it may cost up to $750m to restore capacity, but international experts told an inquiry into the dam last year that the work could be done for $25m.

State Water Minister Glenn Butcher said he was waiting on an internal assessment report by Building Queensland, which The Australian understands began at least three years ago, into repair options for the dam.

“I’m advised that essential safety works on the dam are nearing completion,’’ Mr Butcher said.