The Eurobodalla’s new southern water storage dam could be utilised to help fight bushfires on the Far South Coast over the next six months.
The pollies have officially opened the $150-million facility on the Tuross River at Bodalla with the capacity to hold up to 3000 megalitres of H20.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the water is there to use if firefighters need it.
“Let’s be clear. When we do have bushfire on our landscape the biggest priority is human safety then property safety so we will use whatever we need to in accordance with the Emergency Operations Centre to make sure those bushfires can be put out,” Ms McBasin said.
Water Minister Rose Jackson says filling the new dam is a balancing act.
While it is now open the State Government has confirmed it is only half full.
Ms Jackson said the plan to have the water at the top by now has been affected by low rainfall over winter.
“Unfortunately there have been some dry conditions recently so we do anticipate into 2027 it will be full,” she said.
“That’s fine it is already providing some level of water security and reassurance but we don’t want to take water off the river from our irrigators and our farmers rely on unless those high flows are there.”
