SAFETY ALERT! Flooding

54%

2024-03-29 12:49:54 DAM CAPACITY 54.00% 33.69M HEIGHT 421,657ML VOLUME

The goal of GAWB’s Drought Management Plan (DMP) is to ensure continued water supply for our customers and community during prolonged drought conditions. The DMP outlines the operational, commercial and environmental triggers, and subsequent actions, required for the implementation of a Low Supply Alert and any future Supply Restrictions.

Current state

On 28 June 2023, GAWB lifted the Low Supply Alert for Awoonga Dam, which was declared on 7 April 2021. GAWB will continue to monitor the dam level, rainfall and water consumption in line with its DMP.

Our approach

Our Drought Management Plan is triggered by predicted timeframes and demand forecasts, not dam capacity (for example, a Low Supply Alert is triggered when our models indicate that we are five years away from dead storage based on forecasted demand. It is not triggered by the capacity of the dam at any one time).

GAWB has six possible Drought Management stages. This includes a Low Supply Alert (current state) and five levels of increasing supply restrictions.

The table below outlines the trigger alert for each stage:

Restriction

Trigger Alert

Low Supply Alert

5 years (60 months) reliable water supply

Level 1 Supply Restriction

4 years (48 months) reliable water supply

Level 2 Supply Restriction

3 years (36 months) reliable water supply

Level 3 Supply Restriction

2 years (24 months) reliable water supply

Level 4 Supply Restriction

1 year (12 months) reliable water supply

Emergency Supply Restrictions

When dead storage is reached

Dead Storage: The water remaining in Lake Awoonga that can’t be accessed without the use of temporary pumps. Around 8 per cent of the total supply held in the dam.

Learn more

Our Low Supply Alert Frequently Asked Questions document provides a detailed overview of GAWB’s approach to Drought Management in the Gladstone region. It can be found here.

You can read our recent Low Supply Alert Declaration announcement here.