Sunwater’s Callide Dam Gates is a finalist in the Infrastructure Project Innovation (Regional) Award for next week’s Australian Water Awards. Before we find out who wins, read more about how a global team addressed a very complex challenge.
Dams are lifelong assets and require ongoing periodic assessment, monitoring and maintenance.
Sunwater observed intermittent occurrences of vibration during operation of the spillway gates at Callide Dam, located near Biloela, in Central Queensland.
To address this issue and ensure ongoing dam safety and long-term water security for the region, Sunwater undertook the Callide Dam Gates Project to investigate, repair and restore the gates.
The initial scope involved the removal and replacement of the dam’s gates.
However, computational fluid dynamics modelling identified solutions which allowed the project team to continue without removing the gates.
Sunwater’s innovative approach to strengthen and re-balance the gates, and upgrade the manual controls on-site, proved a sustainable, cost and time effective solution.
The team worked with local and global consulting specialists and suppliers to address the complex issue.
Importantly, the tackled the job while also to continuing to provide essential water supply to industry, agriculture and the community during construction.
The upgrade of the manual control system has also enabled Sunwater to enhance gate operations by overriding the automated system to raise and lower the gates as needed.
Sunwater is proud to have received the 2023 Queensland Water Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (Regional) and is a finalist for the 2024 Australian Water Awards for this important project.
The recognition highlights the collaborative and innovative ingenuity of the team that contributed to the project's success.
The positive outcome of the Callide Dam Gates Project displays Sunwater’s commitment to proactive and innovative infrastructure management to deliver water for prosperity to regional Queensland.
by Ashley Innes
