In what it describes as a major milestone, the company working to establish a major water infrastructure project near Hughenden has completed and submitted its detailed business case to the Queensland government, proving that the plan is viable.
The major research studies conducted for HIPCo forecast that the population of the town will at least double during the 2-3 year project construction period.
And once agricultural crops are established over an estimated eight year period, it is expected that this will deliver a sustained growth in population, forecast to be around double the current level.
Similar projects at Emerald and St George have resulted in these towns becoming economic growth hubs for their regions.
The detailed business case has taken 15 months of intensive investigations, analysis, design and stakeholder engagement, following feedback from the government on HIPCo's draft business case.
The project plans to construct a dam on Saego Station, 43km west of Hughenden, capturing water directly from the Stewart and Jones Valley Creeks and indirectly by a diversion weir on the Flinders River at Alderley Crossing, with a diversion channel that will also capture flows from Back Valley Creek.
The dam wall will be 7650 metres long and 20.5 metres high at the dam's deepest point.
When full the water will inundate 3676 hectares.
Looking to the future, HIPCo has followed the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water's December announcement of the release of a tender for unallocated water in the Flinders River catchment, with a request for watercourse determinations, and is working on a tender application submission.
HIPCo is actively promoting the project with state and federal governments with an intention of progressing it to a shovel-ready state by late 2024.
It hopes to begin preconstruction activities, such as an EIS and detailed design by June, and has planned for a decision on water rights by December this year.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
