Paradise Dam, a vital water supply for irrigation and urban areas around Bundaberg, Queensland, faced safety concerns after the 2013 flood event, which highlighted the risk of failure during extreme floods. While the dam is considered safe under normal conditions, essential interim works were carried out to lower and stabilise the dam for community safety. However, it became clear that further works are required to meet regulatory standards and ensure its long-term integrity, and further technical work was undertaken to provide a robust technical base to help inform decisions on the long-term future of the Dam.

Since 2019, NCC has played a key role in as the economics advisor for the Paradise Dam Improvement Project detailed business case. This includes undertaking the service needs and options assessment consistent with the Queensland Government’s Business Case Development Framework. NCC undertook comprehensive desktop research, stakeholder consultation, econometric analysis, water demand modelling (with climate change considerations), and multi-criteria and cost-benefit analyses. Our ongoing work on Paradise Dam continues to provide a robust information base to guide decisions on the dam’s future and ensure it can continue to meet the region’s needs safely.