Redesign of drainage network provides water resource for firefighting

A major new firefighting water resource has been established in a Wattle Range blackspot in South Australia through the sophisticated redesign of the local drainage network. Source: Timberbiz Hardwood plantation company ABP (Australian Bluegum Plantations), in partnership with the CFS (Country Fire Service) and the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board, have constructed a first of its kind dam at Coles, in the heart of the plantation estate, which has successfully captured water from the Bakers Range South Drain as a specific firefighting resource. With enough supply to fill the state’s Black Hawk helicopter 600 times over, the two megalitre reservoir has been strategically placed in a dry zone with no readily available water resource coverage. ABP director Laurie Hein was instrumental in designing the concept, which fills a basin dug into the drain bed, retaining the water when flows subside. He said the Coles fires of 2022, which impacted 3000 hectares of land including plantation resource, had highlighted the major resource gap with crews forced to travel significant distance to refill, impacting response times. “Every minute counts in a fire response with access to reliable and accessible water resources critical in controlling a blaze,” Mr Hein said. “By redirecting this water resource, holding it up in the environment longer, we have been able to create a generational asset that will play an instrumental role in controlling a fire, reducing the risk of spread and causing catastrophic damage. “This dam will not only protect our plantation estate but will provide landscape wide coverage defending neighbouring farmland, key environmental assets and importantly the broader community.” CFS regional commander Jason Druwitt said firefighting crews had previously utilised public water resources, such as the Naracoorte Swim Lake, disrupting community-use during high fire danger days. “The dam replaces a previous blackspot in the region and offers a faster and more effective water source for our ground crews and our firefighting aircraft,” Regional Commander Druwitt said. “If you add to the mix the recent investment in AI Fire Detection Cameras, I believe our region now has the most sophisticated layers of surveillance to enhance how we respond to, and mitigate the risk of, bushfires. South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board presiding member Brett McLaren said the first dam had been such a success, planning was now underway to develop two additional sites on the drainage network, working with fellow hardwood plantation owners. “This project is a key priority in our strategy to minimise flooding and retain water for the broader benefit of our community, and importantly in this scenario assisting communities and industry in an emergency response,” Mr McLaren said. “This project has been a great demonstration on how through community partnership we can use innovative methods to hold up water in our environment for localised use. This dam and the others to be constructed will play a significant role in community safety for generations to come, helping to protect lives, properties and infrastructure from potential bushfire events.”