CONSTRUCTION has started on the $24 million upgrade to Capalaba’s Leslie Harrison Dam.
Seqwater acting chief executive Dan Spiller said the work would make the dam more resilient to extreme floods and earthquakes.
“Even though the kinds of extreme natural events that could threaten a dam wall are extremely rare, the large population living immediately downstream of the dam means Seqwater needs to meet the very highest standards of dam safety,” Mr Spiller said.
The dam wall would be strengthened and widened and the dam’s concrete spillway anchored into the bedrock to improve resilience.
A military-style temporary bridge has been built across Tingalpa Creek for construction vehicles to access the work site via Dam Road, off Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road.
Mr Spiller said the bridge would keep most construction traffic off local streets and away from Capalaba State College, minimising disruption to residents.
“Dam Road was the clear preference of residents during consultation on construction traffic routes earlier this year.”
About 80 trucks a day are expected on the site.
Touring the site on Tuesday, Capalaba MP Don Brown said the Leslie Harrison Dam, built in 1968, had not received a major upgrade since 1984.
“The dam is an important asset for the community, providing about 20 per cent of the Redland City water supply,” Mr Brown said.
“Dams are long life assets and require continual monitoring and maintenance.
“This project is estimated to create at least 20 jobs and, as an added benefit, local businesses will supply most material including concrete, sand and gravel.”
The work is expected to be complete in the middle of next year.
Seqwater confirmed last year that the dam gates would not be refitted.
Seqwater lowered the dam’s water and removed the gates – originally fitted by Redland taxpayers in 1984 – in 2015 as part of engineering investigations and to improve safety.
About 20 per cent of Redlands’ water comes from Leslie Harrison Dam.