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Mole River Dam

Mole River Dam

Subscribe for updatesA new rockfill dam at Mole River will deliver improved water security and environmental benefits for NSW and QLD.

What's happening in April?

  • Initial environmental and technical investigations are finished and environmental assessments are being finalised
  • Our quarterly project newsletter will be published for the community, stakeholders and businesses
  • Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is meeting with individuals and organisations about water security
  • We have launched a Facebook group to keep you updated on the Mole River Dam project. To join, click here

Background

WaterNSW has released a 20-year infrastructure options study for rural river valleys which addresses future challenges in operating regulated river systems. The objective of the study was to guide water infrastructure investment by all levels of government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian have announced a jointly funded package of around $1bn for the planning and delivery of three new or augmented dams in NSW. This includes $24m for a Final Business Case for building a new dam on Mole River, in the Border Rivers region of NSW.

The Border Rivers is a large catchment that services both NSW and QLD users. Its water supply is serviced by three relatively small catchment dams and large on-farm storages. A new dam will have the potential to secure more water in flood sequences so that in drier times more water would be available to communities, agriculture, and the environment.

Key benefits

Key benefits of the project are likely to be: improvements in on-farm productivity as a result of more reliable and secure water supply, increased reliability for agricultural production which will help secure existing jobs and create new opportunities, an improvement to security of town water supply for downstream communities, and better flood mitigation.

A new dam will have the potential to secure more water in flood sequences so that in drier times more water would be available to communities, agriculture, and the environment.

Mole River Dam - map

Estimated project timeline

  • 2020 Community engagement commences
  • Year One Concept Design & Environmental Assessment
  • End of Year Two Project Determination
  • Year Three Detailed Design and Pre-Construction enabling work
  • From Year Four Dam construction (Construction is expected to take 2-4 years, dependent on design)

Years 2-4 are subject to the final business case and Government funding decision in 2021.

Project updates

Planning and delivery

For detailed project planning information please visit the NSW Government Planning portal.

View the Environmental Assessment Requirements (PDF)

Social impact assessment

WaterNSW is seeking approval from the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment to construct the Mole River Dam project.

The assessment process requires that WaterNSW prepare a Social Impact Assessment to accompany the Strategic Business Case for the project to address the potential social impacts and benefits of the project to the local area, the region, and the state of NSW.

The SIA survey has now closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.

View more information about the Social Impact Assessment (PDF, 138.82 KB).

Contact us

To speak with the Project Team, phone 1800 560 729 or email moleriverdamproject@waternsw.com.au

To receive project updates, please subscribe below

facebook

Facebook users can also join the WaterNSW Mole River Dam project community group.

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