❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the Wellington Dam resource, inquiring about water flow, storage, salinity, desalination investigations, and economic viability. The Minister provides data on water inflow and scour, states desalination is under consideration, and no formal report exists yet.
AnsweredQoN 690Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WELLINGTON DAM
This is a difficult question. I refer to the Wellington Dam resource. (1) How many gigalitres of water per annum flow on average through the Wellington Dam, what is the total volume of water stored in the Wellington Dam, and what is the average annual volume of saline water scoured from the Wellington Dam? (2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE
This is a difficult question. I refer to the Wellington Dam resource. (1) How many gigalitres of water per annum flow on average through the Wellington Dam, what is the total volume of water stored in the Wellington Dam, and what is the average annual volume of saline water scoured from the Wellington Dam? (2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(1) How many gigalitres of water per annum flow on average through the Wellington Dam, what is the total volume of water stored in the Wellington Dam, and what is the average annual volume of saline water scoured from the Wellington Dam? (2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing.
(3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(1) How many gigalitres of water per annum flow on average through the Wellington Dam, what is the total volume of water stored in the Wellington Dam, and what is the average annual volume of saline water scoured from the Wellington Dam? (2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(2) What specific economic and technical investigations has the Water Corporation undertaken to examine the desalination of the Wellington Dam saline resource and where are those reports? (3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(3) Will the minister table those reports? (4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(4) If no to (3), why not? (5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(5) Where is the economic analysis that says that desalination of the saline fraction of the Wellington Dam resource is not viable? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
I thank Hon Paul Llewellyn for his question. (1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(1) For the period 1975 to 2005 the average inflow to Wellington Dam was 124 gigalitres a year. However, for the period 1997 to 2005 the average inflow was 92 gigalitres a year, and since 2001 it has reduced further to only 71 gigalitres a year. That includes the time when the Harris Dam was built. Wellington Dam has a storage capacity of 185 gigalitres. The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing. (2) The Water Corporation is currently examining a range of options for the development of Wellington Dam as a potable water source. This work includes consideration of various water treatment approaches, including desalination. No formal report has yet been produced. (3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
The average scour from Wellington Dam since 1995 is 29 gigalitres a year. Since 2001 this has been reduced to 24 gigalitres a year on average. The annual scour volume is highly variable, ranging from about 14 gigalitres a year up to 68 gigalitres a year. The high scour of 68 gigalitres a year occurred in 1996 and was due to the dam overflowing.
(3)-(4) Not applicable. (5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
(5) The government is currently looking at options for recovery of the Wellington Dam resource and its potential development for potable and industrial supplies.
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