South West water catchment management – Logue Brook Dam
On 5 November 2007, the Minister for Water Resources announced the state government's decision to use Logue Brook Dam to meet the State's public water supply needs. This will require the dam to be converted from an irrigation and recreation facility to an irrigation and drinking water source. This decision clears the way for the proposal by Harvey Water to trade 17.1 gigalitres (GL) of water to Water Corporation for the Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IWSS).
The IWSS delivers drinking water to 1.65 million people throughout the Perth metropolitan area, the South West, and towns and farmlands in the Central Wheatbelt. The service area extends about 600 km east-west to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and 200 km south-north. Please refer to the Information Summary Sheet for a diagram of the IWSS.
The proposal is to source the 17.1 GL from Stirling Dam (5.8 GL/yr), Samson Brook Dam (6 GL/yr) and Logue Brook Dam (5.3 GL/yr). This volume of water is expected to be available by piping the existing open channel distribution system - significantly reducing current evaporation and seepage losses.
The proposal was assessed in three stages: Stage 1 – Harvey South; Stage 2 – Uduc and Harvey North; and Stage 3 – Logue. The following information relates only to Logue.
Stage 3 - Logue
A key issue for Stage 3 was the proposed use of Logue Brook Dam as a drinking water supply. On 5 November 2007, the Minister for Water Resources announced that from May 2008, Logue Brook Dam will be closed to the public as a recreation facility so it can be transformed into a drinking water source to come on line in 2010.
In recognition of the loss of Logue Brook as a recreation facility, the Water Corporation is creating a $10 million trust account that will be used to develop alternative recreation facilities in the South West. The State Government is also spending an additional $3.29 million to enable Lake Kepwari, near Collie, to be opened as a public recreation area in 2008. The Department of Sport and Recreation will begin a South West recreational master plan to provide policy direction and clear user guidelines for community access and recreational activities in and around water bodies in the South West region.
As part of the decision-making process, the Department of Water sought additional advice from Harvey Water and Water Corporation on the impact that Stage 3 would have on those who currently enjoy the recreational benefits of Logue Brook Dam. Harvey Water consulted the community and recreation stakeholders and the department conducted comprehensive community consultation in a 'catchment dialogue' to plan for the future of South West water catchments, and in particular the future use of Logue Brook Dam.
Under the guidance of a Steering Committee comprising the community, stakeholders, local and State government representatives, a Community Dialogue Forum was held in Harvey on 22 July 2006. The views of all parties were heard and discussed in an open manner and the findings were compiled into a report which enabled the department to make recommendations to the Government.
The Minister's decision was based on feedback from the forum, results from an extensive survey of local, South West and Perth residents and a feasibility study of recreation opportunities at other dams in the South West (e.g. Harvey, Waroona and Drakes Brook). This information and all other available data was made available to the Minister for Water Resources when he made a decision on the future of Logue Brook Dam.
The Department of Water will now prepare a Drinking Water Source Protection Plan for Logue Brook Dam. This protection plan will allow the catchment of Logue Brook Dam to be proclaimed and protect the water quality of this new drinking water source.
If you wish to know more about this project or have your say, please email us at drinkingwater@water.wa.gov.au.
You can contact the Department of Sport and Recreation, Graham Brimage on +61-8-9492 9829 about the Recreation Master Plan and offsets trust. For information on Lake Kepwari please call the South West Development Commission, Alan Cross on +61-8-9792 2000. For advice on the decommissioning of facilities at Logue Brook dam after 1 May 2008 (and development of new or improved day use facilities at other nearby dams in 2008) please contact Water Corporation, Chris Botica on +61-8-9420 2261.
