Project/News

"This opinion piece appeared in the Newcastle Herald on Saturday July 4, 2009."

For more information click here. 

Hunter Water has engaged a team of wetland experts to provide more specialist advice on the potential impacts that the proposed Tillegra Dam will have on the Hunter Estuary Ramsar wetlands located 100km downstream.

For more information click here. 

EOI for Dam Delivery Experts 

Hunter Water will advertise this weekend for expressions of interest from infrastructure delivery companies to assist with the detailed design of two major components of the proposed Tillegra Dam project.

Hunter Water Tillegra Dam Project Manager Nicole Holmes said input from these companies would assist the current team working on the final detailed designs of the proposed dam embankment and the new Salisbury Road.

For more information click here.

Road Relocation Options

The proposed Tillegra Dam will cut a section of around 15 kilometres of the existing Salisbury Road, located between Tillegra Bridge and Underbank.  An alternative route must be provided.  Six potential road relocation options were identified and placed on public exhibition in May/June 2007 – refer to the brochure and feedback form.  A report on the outcome of the public exhibition process by Consultants GHD is available by clicking here. 

Hunter Water convened a stakeholder workshop in Dungog in August 2007 to further refine the preferred route for the affected section of Salisbury Road from a whole-of-community perspective.  Participants at the workshop included members of the Tillegra Dam Community Reference Group, Dungog Council, Telstra, Department of Planning, and Bendolba-Salisbury Rural Fire Service.  A report on the workshop process and outcomes is available by clicking here.  

Hunter Water subsequently engaged Opus International Consultants to undertake the design of the new road.Opus International will undertake detailed modelling of the terrain, geotechnical and hydrological parameters to fine-tune the road alignment, long-sections and cross-sections. 

A number of roads in the Quart Pot Creek area will also be impacted by the dam proposal.  A preferred route has been determined in consultation with the affected landowners in the area, along with agency stakeholders. 

Part 3A Environmental Assessment Process

In November 2007 the NSW Minister for Planning, formally declared the Tillegra Dam proposal to be “of State and regional environmental planning significance”.  The proposal is subject to rigorous assessment under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act.

Matters to be considered include potential impacts on:

• Water quality
• Environmental water flows
• Riparian vegetation
• Cultural and heritage values
• Terrestrial flora and fauna
• Movement of fish and other aquatic species
• Socio-economic impacts and opportunities

Hunter Water lodged the Tillegra Dam Project Application (accompanied by the Preliminary Environmental Assessment report) with the NSW Department of Planning in November 2007.  These documents are available on the Department’s website.

Hunter Water has undertaken extensive investigations in the development of the Environmental Assessment Report (EAR).  The EAR will outline the findings of the environmental and social investigations, identifying impacts of the proposed dam and how Hunter Water proposes to manage those impacts.  The Department of Planning will place the EAR on public exhibition, providing the opportunity for all stakeholders, including interested members of the community, to comment formally on the proposal.  Click here for the steps in the Part 3A environmental assessment process.

Dungog Shire Council Planning Review

Hunter Water is sponsoring a land use planning review initiated by Dungog Shire Council. Consultants Planning Workshop Australia are assisting Council in its understanding and response to the strategic implications of the proposed construction of Tillegra Dam.

The work includes a review of Council’s Local Environmental Plan, Development Control Plans, as well as strategic documents such as Council’s tourism and economic policies.
For more information, visit Dungog Shire Council.