Project update – December 2024
The Minister for Water, Rose Jackson has commenced a review of the proposed design for the replacement of Wilcannia Weir. The Minister made the decision to undertake a review following a visit to Wilcannia to meet with the community in June 2024, and has since formed an Independent Review Panel.
Panel members were appointed following careful consideration and recommendations received from the community. The panel will look into the environmental impacts, safety and operational concerns that led to the Department changing the design for a new weir following the public exhibition of the project’s Environmental Impact Statement. The review will consider the rationale for changing the weir’s height and other community concerns.
The following members have been selected for the Independent Review Panel:
- Geoff Wise – Chairman of the Western Lands Advisory Council. Geoff has been appointed as the Panel Chair
- James McTavish - former NSW Cross-Border Commissioner and Regional Town Water Supply Coordinator
- Professor Stuart Khan – member of the NSW Independent Water Advisory Panel
- A representative from the Murray Darling Basin Authority, as a panel observer.
The review will take several months to work through to completion during which time the Wilcannia Weir Replacement Project is paused. Once finalised, the independent review findings will be made available to the public.
While the review is being conducted, work continues on other important initiatives in Wilcannia aimed at improving water security. This includes works related to the new emergency groundwater bore for Wilcannia as well as working with Central Darling Shire Council on the planned upgrade of the Wilcannia water treatment plant.
We are committed to keeping the community informed on these projects and will continue to provide regular updates as they progress.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our Wilcannia newsletter to stay up to date with other Water Group projects, such as our Emergency Groundwater Bore Project.Project need
The existing Wilcannia Weir was built in 1942 for the purpose of providing a more reliable town water supply for Wilcannia. The existing weir has now failed and there is a need to support long-term town water security for the community by providing suitable water infrastructure, including a new weir.
Integrated approach to improving water security and quality
The NSW Government is taking a new integrated, system-wide approach to improving water security and quality for the Wilcannia community.
This approach will include both new water infrastructure as well as works to improve the supply of potable/drinking water and management of water and wastewater infrastructure.
The Water Group in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will lead this approach by:
- constructing a new weir and fishway to replace the failed existing weir
- supporting Central Darling Shire Council to build a new water treatment plant for the town
- investigating a potential new groundwater bore with a reticulation network to supplement the town’s existing water infrastructure
- improving the town’s existing water network to reduce leakage and losses
- protecting the town’s stormwater systems to reduce public health risks.
This will ensure better water security and quality outcomes are delivered for the community.
Project details
he proposed weir is a fixed crest type, and the crest height will be approximately 4.2m with the highest points on the outer edges being approximately 5.5 metres.
It will provide an additional 400 ML of water security for the town. This will boost water storage by 20 percent and is a significant step change in water security for Wilcannia. The new weir design has been developed to allow for future modification if required, including being raised, subject to additional funding being sourced and planning approvals being granted.
Unlike the old weir, the new design includes a fishway allowing fish to migrate upstream past the weir. It will be a vertical-slot type fishway and will be constructed next to the northern bank of the river.
The new design improves water security for Wilcannia while also being safer and more affordable, with less impact on the environment and culturally significant sites.
The decision to move to a new design was shaped by the responses to the Environmental Impact Statement public exhibition in 2022, and extensive stakeholder consultation and feedback since scoping studies for the new weir began in 2016. The Environmental Impact Statement documents are available on the NSW Planning Portal website.
The NSW Government has an ongoing commitment to local employment into the construction phase of the project and to date has invested $4.63 million in the community through training programs, local procurement and cross-agency support.
Image
A version of the weir and fishway detailed concept design (aerial view) is available.
Download the images (PDF. 1,023KB)Contact us
For more information about the project, email us at water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 081 047.