16 | Waimea Water - Waimea Dam Development REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Richard Loader Waimea Dam gamechanger for area The Waimea Community Dam is expected to deliver an estimated $600-$900 million to the Nelson Tasman region in the first 25 years. Due to be commissioned in September this year, the Waimea Community Dam is a courageous gamechanger that will secure water supply in the Nelson Tasman region for the next one hundred plus years. Located on the Lee River in the Lee Valley, just southeast of Brightwater, the dam is one of the region’s most important infrastructure projects ever, and the first large dam to be built in New Zealand in 25 years. When completed, the reservoir created by the dam will contain approximately 13 million cubic metres/13 billion litres of water, and will be the first publicly funded large dam built in New Zealand since the Clyde Dam was completed in 1992. A public/private partnership between the Tasman District Council (TDC) and Waimea Irrigators Ltd (WIL), the project will deliver a diverse range of benefits including water security for the region and better river health and water quality for people, plants, fish and animals. “Water is New Zealand’s competitive advantage and our region will now be able to use it to support and grow our local economy and environment.” The dam is also expected to strengthen the local economy, delivering an estimated $600- $900 million to the Nelson Tasman region in the first 25 years, through the success of primary industries and the subsequent growth of associated secondary and tertiary industries. In 2018 Waimea Water Ltd (WWL) was established as a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) to manage the construction, operation and maintenance of the dam. The project began in March 2019, with site works commencing August 2019. Wellington consultancy Damwatch Engineering Ltd provide engineering for the dam and ensure it is constructed in accordance with the design. Their work is peer reviewed by GHD Engineering. Construction is being carried out as a joint venture by Fulton Hogan and Taylors Contracting Ltd. At 53 metres high, 220 metres long and six metres wide at the crest, the dam is a concrete faced rock-filled embankment, and has been designed to the latest and highest international design standards under New Zealand and International Dam Safety Guidelines. “This project is a significant scale for our region, and even our country,” says WWL CEO Mike Scott. “The embankment is constructed of nearly 500,000 cubic metres of rock, and, when finished, it will have close to 30,000 m3 of concrete and more than 2,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel.” The reservoir sits behind the dam and goes up the Lee Valley, holding enough water to cover a one in fifty-year drought. During dry periods, the dam’s stored water is released to maintain even flows in the Lee and lower Waimea rivers. The flowing rivers top up the Waimea aquifers to maintain water levels for extraction by horticultural and domestic water wells, reduce the risk of saltwater intrusion from the coast and maintain a healthy river habitat for plants and animals. The first structure to be built was the 160-metre-long diversion culvert, which diverted the river to create a dry building site for construction. Once the dam was completed, above the diversion culvert, in October 2022, the culvert was partially closed to install the temporary diversion pipework. When this temporary pipework is commissioned in February 2023, the culvert will be closed and the reservoir will commence filling. The dam and spillway are now sufficiently complete to function and accommodate floods. As the reservoir fills, mechanical and commissioning works are then expected to be completed in September 2023, one year and 0800 529 437 www.layher.co.nz Layher are proud to support Geeves Scaffolding Layher, New Zealand’s leading scaffold supplier, servicing New Zealand’s leading scaffolding companies. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K www.geeves.co.nz Phone 0800 GEEVES Proud users of A reliable and professional service: • Scaffolding access & edge protection • Temporary roofs and shrinkwrap • Event scaffolds (concerts/stages) Branches in Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru and Dunedin
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=