Rosalie Shire looks to Emu Creek dam to solve its water issues ...

In the Chronicle today, Rosalie Shire Council looks at building Emu Creek dam.

An example of a neighbouring shire which wants to look at other water source options, rather than taking recycled sewage from Toowoomba.

Toowoomba City Council is against the proposal - I wonder why?

The more the Toowoomba City Council pursues the Mayor's controversial recycled sewage project, the more neighbouring shires such as Rosalie and Jondaryan look at alternate water sources. Toowoomba risks losing its water customers over its decision to pursue recycled sewage.

How will that affect its budgeted revenue from recycled sewage?

Rosalie moves to get a new dam underway

A DAM at Emu Creek, near Rosalie, has oft been touted as a future water facility: fill it and you’re laughing.

Now Rosalie Shire Council is taking that forbidden dream to the next level and writing to the Prime Minister in the hope he will support an initiative to revive the Emu Creek Dam idea as a water storage facility for times of drought.

Rosalie CEO Clinton Weber is hopeful of bringing the State Government on side despite its current opposition to a dam that would potentially cost $170 million and has been rejected in the past for fear it would reduce flows into Brisbane’s Wivenhoe Dam downstream.

Mr Weber admits Rosalie’s intention is a bit “out of the box”, even a “desperate move”, but the council is looking 100 to 200 years ahead and taking into account regional growth and another inevitable dry spell.

The plan is for the Emu Creek Dam to be “filled in a significant rain event” and then sit as a storage facility.

Because the water would not be used, the dam would not prevent the natural flow down the creek into the Moreton catchment. - “Our hope is that we proceed with the Emu Creek Dam proposal,” Mr Weber said. “We believe it would have to be funded by federal money.”

Mr Weber said he was aware of the State Government’s opposition to new dams, but believed it could be swayed.

Crows Nest Mayor Cr Geoff Patch said he would be supportive of a dam at Emu Creek, but warned it would be difficult convincing the State Government.

Toowoomba is opposed to the plan.