QLD:Report should stop dam critics: Seqwater

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2011
QLD:Report should stop dam critics: Seqwater

BRISBANE, Aug 8 AAP - Southeast Queensland dam operators Seqwater say critics should
stop claiming they should have done a better job during January's floods.

The organisation on Monday responded to the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry's
interim report, released last Monday.

The commission backed the engineers in charge of Wivenhoe Dam during the floods, saying
they made only a small breach of their operating manual, which had little significance.

It praised the engineers for their diligence in managing the flood waters, which swamped
Ipswich and Brisbane.

Seqwater chief executive officer Peter Borrows said he was confident its approach was
appropriate and in accordance with the manual and best practice.

"Given the conclusions of the commission's independent expert, Seqwater notes that
speculation that operating the dams differently during the event, including making earlier
releases, may have resulted in a better mitigation outcome cannot be maintained," he said
in a statement.

Mr Borrows said Wivenhoe Dam was designed to mitigate, not prevent flooding.

"We understand the impacts of the flood upon our community, of which we are a part," he said.

"Unfortunately, this devastation is a consequence of the extreme rainfall within the
catchment both above and below Wivenhoe Dam in January, not the operation of the dams."

The commission will take further submissions before it delivers its final report in
February, and Seqwater would continue to offer every assistance, Mr Borrows said.

The commission will next month hold a second round of public hearings examining insurance
and land use issues.

AAP gd/jnb

KEYWORD: FLOOD INQUIRY

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