Maintenance works to start on dam at Knoxfield site

Development Victoria will undertake urgent repairs and maintenance works on the unsafe, artificial dam at the Knoxfield site.

The dam has been assessed as structurally unsound and at risk of failure, with the works needed to address its ongoing deterioration and reduce any community safety risks – including the possibility of flooding.

Construction will begin on Thursday 17 March and is scheduled to be carried out in phases over the next month. It will see crews remove the concrete spillway and associated unstable soil, remove weeds and invasive plants around the spillway to improve water flow into nearby Blind Creek and also add rocks to replace the concrete and soil removed.

The work’s form part of Development Victoria’s transformation of the site, which includes replacing the dam with a vibrant new wetlands system to ensure a safe, suitable and long-term breeding environment for Blue-billed Ducks and other wildlife, as well as be enjoyed by the local community for years to come.

The new wetlands has been designed by a team of expert consultants, including ecologists. It will result in a far better overall environmental outcome and improve the health of local waterways, including Blind Creek by ensuring the proper treatment of stormwater, which is not currently happening through the dam.

Development Victoria will undertake a staged construction of the new wetlands to ensure the works don’t impact the ducks and other species – especially during their breeding season. This will mean the current dam will exist and be repaired until the new wetlands is ready.

The Knoxfield project’s ecologist will be onsite to monitor the ducks while works are underway to repair the dam. Development Victoria and contractors will take all steps possible to limit any impact this maintenance work could have to the wildlife.

Visit the Knoxfeld page for further details about the project and to register for updates.