nghenvironmental completed the environmental impact assessment for major works at Tantangara Dam, located on the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee River, within Kosciuszko National Park, for Snowy Hydro Limited. The work assessed involved impacts associated with the release of potentially polluted water as a result of lowering the level of the dam through the river outlet works, construction of a major works access road, excavation of tunnel through the dam, and construction of a new river outlet facility and mini-hydro generation plant.
The work was necessary as a requirement of the Snowy Water Inquiry Outcome Implementation Deed. A requirement of it is that up to 2 GL/day (23 m³/s) can be released from Lake Tantangara into the Murrumbidgee River.
The proposal was complex and multifaceted. Without appropriate environmental management, it involved a risk of creating a high level of impact on water quality. nghenvironmental prepared a review of environmental factors, 8-Part Test, Environmental Protection Biodiversity Assessment Act Assessment and Water Quality Control Plan. The end result was a high quality document that received positive feedback from representatives of relevant NSW Government agencies.
