07-03-2022
During the 2019-20 bushfires Taralga and the surrounding area was significantly impacted by bushfire and the reduced water supply available from the Taralga dam during dry periods, meant minimal water was available for use in fire-fighting in the northeast of our shire.
In 2021 council was advised by a DPIE Dam safety engineer that the dam wall facing the town was structurally affected by both holes in the wall and scouring of the inside of the wall by weather over the years, therefore reducing the width of the wall.
Council was advised to reduce the water level within the dam to 30% to reduce the possibility of the dam wall collapsing and flooding the town. This meant Council needed to consider future options to make the town of Taralga water secure for the future.
Since last summer, Council has been working to secure funding for a new off-stream storage dam in the area to increase water security and build greater resilience against bushfires and natural disasters.
Council has been successful in its bid to secure funding of $875,000 from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program for assistance in funding Stage 1 of the project.
This will fund preliminary assessments, off-stream storage design, road construction and easements. Council will continue to seek further funding for Stage 2 of the project which will see the construction of the new off-stream storage dam.
General manager Colleen Worthy said she was very encouraged by this funding.
“While this is only funding for assessment and design at this stage, it’s an investment in the project by the Federal Government which I’m sure would not be made unless there was an intention to proceed with the dam,” she said.
“This is a great result because, outside of ongoing road projects, this is our number one infrastructure project for the shire as well as a much-needed signal of intent for the Taralga community.”