Hells Gates Dam &Big Rocks Weir

Business Case Update

Townsville Enterprise Limited

BIG ROCKS WEIR BUSINESS CASE

• The proposed Big Rocks Weir is located approximately 26 km north-west of Charters Towers, capable of storing up to 10,000 ML of water.

• The proposed purpose of the weir is for water supply for irrigation, industrial development and urban water supply.

• Project includes mass concrete gravity weir and associated infrastructure including saddle dam, outlet works, fishway and access track.

Reference Design

Big Rocks Weir – digital visualisation from upstream of the weir looking south

• Reference Design

• Approvals Processes

• Environmental Assessment

• Capital cost estimate -$59.82m (P90 – 38% contingency)

Site overview

Site location

Big Rocks Weir, Charters Towers

• 20,000 ML of unallocated water currently available under the Water Plan (10,000ML strategic reserve and 10,000ML general reserve)

• Yield modelling undertaken indicates BRW could provide 10,000 ML at 100% reliability

• More than 10,000ML could be made available, but would be expected to be deliver less reliability

• Final amount of water to be made available subject to DNRME consideration

Big Rocks Weir Public Meeting, Charters Towers

Water availability and agricultural production

Big Rocks Weir Public Meeting, Charters Towers

Economics

BCR - 7%

10,000ML of water 1.38

15,000ML of water 1.80

20,000ML of water 2.14

Benefits

• Approximately 172 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions

directly supported during the construction peak in 2022.

• Additional economic activity and employment

opportunities associated with the operations of BRW and

use of the additional water supplied by the weir.

• At full production, an additional $35 million per annum in

additional agricultural revenue, and 117 FTEs each year will

be directly supported by the additional agricultural

production associated with BRW (10,000 ML of water).

• Reliability of water supply for Charters Towers during

extended dry periods.

Business Case21 August 2020

IAR31 January 2021

Construction2021/22

Milestones

NEXT STEPS:

➢$30m funding committed by Commonwealth Government

➢Seeking matching funding contribution from Queensland Government

➢Progress detailed design

➢Charters Towers Regional Council as proponent to construct, own and deliver Big Rocks Weir.

HELLS GATES DAMPROJECT UPDATE

Hells Gates Dam project overview

➢ 2,100 Gigalitre (GL) Hells Gates Dam

➢ 50,000 ha irrigation area

➢ 25,000 ha approx. of inundated area

➢ Dam height at 75 m

➢ 3 x weir pools

Location120 Kilometres north of Charters Towers and north west of Townsville.

Project update

HELLS GATES DAM:

➢Important project for the region

➢Delivery in accordance with Building Queensland guidelines

➢Coordinated project with Office of Coordinated General

➢Environmental Impact Assessment January 2022

Milestones

Business CaseApril 2022

Environmental Impact AssessmentJanuary 2022

Construction20??

DAM, WEIR’S and IRRIGATION

Power link will investigate connecting 850MW of pumped hydro generation into the Ross Substation at Townsville.

Pumped Hydrology Storage

Pumped Hydrology Storage

Thank you!