2002 – Inundation Risk Reduction Adjacent to Awoonga Dam

D. Ryan

Awoonga Dam is located near the town of Gladstone in central Queensland. The dam is on the Boyne River, and supplies water for domestic and industrial use in the Gladstone area. It is also used for recreation including swimming, boating, fishing, sailing and water skiing.

Awoonga Dam was completed in 1984. It has a storage capacity of 289,000Ml, and a submerged area of 3,450ha. The dominant land use in the catchment area is open grazing and includes the Mount Castle Tower National Park. A limestone quarry is also adjacent to the reservoir
The Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB) own and operate Awoonga Dam. In 1999, the decision was made to raise the existing structure using a staged construction program.

Included in the first stage was the protection of a limestone quarry, which is operated by Frost Enterprises Pty Ltd, and is adjacent to the reservoir. The quarry would be partially inundated unless some form of protection was provided.

This paper provides an outline of the investigation undertaken, the options considered and the solution provided to protect the quarry, hereafter referred to as Frost Quarry.