Over the coming weeks, ACT Government teams will be undertaking comprehensive inspections of 5 dams across Canberra as part of our ongoing dam safety program.
These inspections are required every 5 years under Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) guidelines and help ensure we continue to meet strict safety and regulatory requirements. The inspections focus on dams with high consequence classifications, assessing key infrastructure including embankments, spillways, outlet valves and other critical assets for signs of deterioration or potential failure risks.
The work complements the regular inspections, maintenance, monitoring and surveys carried out across the 22 dams we manage throughout Canberra.
What the community may notice
- Dam water levels will begin to be lowered from 27 July 2026 to allow safe access to inspection areas to Gungahlin Lake, Lake Ginninderra, Lake Tuggeranong, Whitlam Dam and Yerrabi Pond.
- Stilling basins below spillways will be de-watered from the week beginning 10 August 2026, enabling detailed inspections of spillway structures that are normally underwater.
- Engineers, divers, boats, work vehicles, large portable pumps and small earthmoving equipment may be present at some locations.
- Native fish encountered during de-watering will be safely relocated by contractors, with ecological support on-site. Invasive species will be managed humanely.
The inspections will also reveal some rarely seen infrastructure, including the large dissipator blocks that reduce water flow energy and help prevent erosion, as well as the impressive depth of some stilling basins, such as Yerrabi’s, which reaches approximately five metres deep.
Safety reminder
For everyone’s safety, please do not enter any work areas or cordoned-off zones.
These inspections are a vital part of ensuring Canberra’s dams continue to operate safely and reliably for the community.
