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Arundel – Biggera Creek Dam restoration

Project typeOcean, beaches & waterways
Project value$3 million
Project scheduleMid to late 2023 (weather permitting)

The Biggera Creek Dam provides vital flood reduction for the lower Biggera Creek catchment in Labrador and Biggera Waters.

Restoration works are needed to repair damage to the dam wall that occurred during heavy rain events in March 2021 and February 2022.

The damage is confined to the surface of the dam wall and does not pose any structural risk. To monitor the damage, we conduct site inspections 3 times a week and more often during rain events. We also continuously monitor the dam wall for any movement using CCTV.

Construction details

Earthworks on the eastern face of the dam wall. This includes removing about 2 metres of existing earth fill in the area of the dam that has slumped or cracked and replacing it with new fill, which will be compacted at a flatter gradient.

Construction schedule

Works were originally scheduled to occur in two stages in October 2022 and mid-2023. However, due to heavy rain in October and November 2022, works were rescheduled for a single construction period in the second half of 2023 when there is usually little rain. The main works are expected to take 16 weeks.

Impacts during construction

Access to some areas within Collingwood Court Reserve will be reduced for about 16 weeks during construction in the second half of 2023.

Parts of the park and surrounding areas will remain open, including the dog off-lead and the skate park areas.

Nearby residents may notice construction noise and dust, and vibration from compaction equipment. We will ensure disruptions are kept to a minimum. Where possible, work will take place between 6:30am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

Wildlife assessment

We engaged ecologists to complete a wildlife assessment of the eastern pocket of Collingwood Court Reserve in August 2022.

The reserve is a 32-hectare forested park between Olsen Avenue and Napper Road which is also part of the flood detention basin for the Biggera Creek Dam. The Biggera Creek Dam wall separates the bulk of the reserve from the 3-hectare eastern pocket near Olsen Avenue. This section includes a skate park, basketball half court, and short walking trail through eucalypt and paperbark woodland.

The reserve contains koala habitat, as well as possible habitat for a range of threatened species such as the grey-headed flying-fox and wallum froglet. One koala was spotted during the assessment and a small black flying-fox colony is located in trees near Olsen Avenue.

Following the wildlife assessment, we are taking the following recommended actions to minimise any impacts on local wildlife:

Avoiding the removal of any mature trees. A single casuarina tree may be trimmed during the works.
Measures to control erosion. These include delaying major earthworks until the drier (winter) months.
Use of a wildlife spotter during works.

Benefits for the community

Restoring a critical flood mitigation asset
Improved flood resilience during extreme weather events
Reduced ongoing maintenance

This project is funded by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, a collaboration between the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.