Dunkeld water storage update
History
Dunkeld’s original water supply system comprised a weir and three storages:
- No. 1 service basin (36-megalitre capacity)
- No. 2 reservoir (36-megalitre capacity)
- No. 3 reservoir (110-megalitre capacity).
A weir diverted water from Waterfall Creek, with a pipeline running to No. 3 reservoir which acted as a catchment dam. The pipeline then connected No. 2 reservoir and the No 1. service basin.
Restrictions were regularly imposed in Dunkeld during the 1990s as Waterfall Creek was an unreliable source in dry conditions. Water levels dropped to a point in 1998 that the town was in danger of running out of water, resulting in stage 3 restrictions being applied.
A 33-kilometre pipeline was constructed in 1998, connecting Dunkeld to the Hamilton system. No. 1 service basin was retained as part of the new system, but lined and covered and used to store the water before it’s disinfected and then supplied throughout town.
Emergency water sources
Dunkeld is now permanently connected to the Hamilton system and the weir and the two other reservoirs are no longer used. However, they have been retained as a back-up emergency water resource with a bulk entitlement of 170 megalitres a year available.
A 52-kilometre-long pipeline linking Rocklands Reservoir to Hamilton was commissioned following the Millenium Drought in 2010, further improving the security of the system.
This pipeline has never been used, but is maintained as a drought-proofing measure for towns connected to Hamilton. This makes it unlikely that No 2 and 3 reservoirs will ever be needed for use as a source for the Dunkeld supply.
However, we have no plans to decommission either storage and will continue to maintain these assets as an emergency back-up water supply, particularly for fire fighting purposes, into the future.
Recent work
Earlier in 2024, we had to drain No.3 reservoir so we could undertake repair work on the pipeline through the embankment wall. This work is finished but the reservoir remains empty as we still need to complete some additional work at the end of the pipeline.
The project will soon be finished and the reservoir will be able to be replenished once it rains and the catchments run.
Recreational use
Our Recreational Opportunities Strategy, completed in 2023, suggests No. 3 reservoir would be suitable for recreational activities by allowing public access, although this is yet to be further investigated and explored.
There has also been interest from the Dunkeld Golf Club in sourcing water from the reservoir, via a new pipeline, for use in a reticulated watering system for the course. Initial estimates, based on 2021 pricing, indicate the cost of this proposal could be around $1.65 million.
More work would be needed to define the project, including a detailed cost estimate and design. Other considerations include the approval process to construct a pipeline through a national park, cultural heritage concerns, the potential for vegetation offsets, ownership of assets and ongoing maintenance needs.
Community support
We know there is strong community support to retain the Dunkeld reservoirs and we have no current plans to decommission them.
The water will remain available as a resource to support firefighting efforts over the fire seasons.
Water storage locations
