Dams Safety Committee Annual Report 2015 / 2016 ANNUAL REPORT NSW DAMS SAFETY COMMITTEE FLOOR 3, MACQUARIE TOWER, 10 VALENTINE AVENUE, PARRAMATTA NSW 2150 (LOCKED BAG 5123, PARRAMATTA NSW 2124) OFFICE PHONE: (02) 9842 8073 FAX: (02) 9842 8071 EXECUTIVE ENGINEER: (02) 9842 8070 Website: http://www.damsafety.nsw.gov.au Email: [email protected] BUSINESS AND SERVICE HOURS ARE NORMALLY 9.30 am to 4.00 pm MONDAY to FRIDAY Please note that the NSW Dams Safety Committee (DSC) only has a small number of technical staff who are often away from the office on inspections. Accordingly, technical questions may not be able to be answered immediately, although every effort will be made to pass on messages to ensure a prompt response. Cover Picture: Chaffey Dam. This zoned earth and rockfill dam is owned by WaterNSW, providing irrigation water for the Peel River valley and also the main water supply for Tamworth. Constructed in 1979 with a storage capacity of 62,000ML, a major upgrading and augmentation project during 2015 and 2016 has resulted in a new capacity of 100,000ML. This 2016 photo shows the raised morning glory spillway structure, the innovative design and complex and clever construction techniques for which have resulted in this substantial 61% increase in storage capacity. NOTE: In accordance with Premier & Cabinet’s Memorandum M2013-09, the Committee has only printed in-house a limited number of hard copies (in black and white). Report distribution will be substantially electronic. ISSN 0816-2727 Index A I Activities, nature and range ................................................... 9 Independent Auditor's Report ............................................. 52 Address .................................................................................. 1 L Assets ............................................................................ 10, 54 Legislation ............................................................................ 8 B M Business and Service Hours .................................................. 1 Management Improvement Plans and Achievements ...... 3, 17 C Meetings, attendance at ....................................................... 11 Code of conduct .................................................................. 50 Members, appointment of members, name, position, Committee, purpose, origin ................................................... 9 qualifications ....................................................................... 12 Contacting the Committee ..................................................... 1 Mining ................................................................................ 16 D O Dams, prescribed, statistics ................................................. 67 Objectives ............................................................................. 3 E Organisational Chart ........................................................... 10 Emergencies .................................................................. 10, 38 P Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) .............................. 50 Performance Measures ........................................................ 17 Ethnic Affairs ...................................................................... 50 S G Staff, name, position, qualifications .................................... 14 Government Information Public Access .............................. 50 Sub-committees .................................................................. 11 Guidance Sheets .................................................................. 23 T Telephone of Office .............................................................. 1 ANNUAL REPORT ABN 55 079 703 705 The Hon Niall Blair, MLC Minister for Primary Industries Minister for Lands and Water Locked Bag 5123 52 Martin Place PARRAMATTA NSW 2124 SYDNEY NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 9842 8073 Fax: (02) 9843 8071 Our Ref: 10.102.007 Dear Mr Blair, We have pleasure in submitting to you, for presentation to Parliament, the NSW Dams Safety Committee's Annual Report for the year ended 30th June 2016. This Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Regulation 2015. Yours sincerely, Brian Cooper Jeffrey Gleeson Chair Deputy Chair ANNUAL REPORT 1 NSW Dams Safety Committee Annual Report 2015 / 2016 CONTENTS Index ............................................. Inside Front Cover 6. The Future ....................................................... 19 6.1. Dams Safety Management ................................ 19 Overview by Chair ..................................................... 3 6.2. Mining Management near Dams ....................... 21 Our Objectives ............................................................ 3 6.3. Administration and Information Systems ........... 21 Targets ........................................................................ 3 6.4. NSW Dams Safety Review ................................ 22 Highlights .................................................................... 3 Our People .................................................................. 4 7. Review of Operations ..................................... 23 Our Stakeholders ........................................................ 5 7.1. Dams Safety Management ................................ 23 The Future ................................................................... 6 7.2. Regulation of Mining near Dams ....................... 40 7.3. Information Systems .......................................... 44 1. Charter ............................................................... 8 1.1. Why do we have a Dams Safety Committee 8. Stakeholders ................................................... 45 (DSC) in NSW? ................................................... 8 8.1. Liaison with Stakeholders .................................. 45 1.2. What Legislation defines our Functions? ............ 8 8.2. Education and Training of Members and Staff 1.3. What are the Functions of the DSC? .................. 8 and Associated Matters ..................................... 48 2. Access and Contact ......................................... 9 9. Administration and Human Resources ........ 50 3. Aims, Objectives and Values ........................... 9 10. Finance ............................................................ 51 3.1. Mission and Objectives ....................................... 9 10.1. Dams Safety Committee Certificate .................. 51 3.2. Our Values .......................................................... 9 10.2. Independent Auditor’s Report ............................ 52 10.3. Audited Financial Statements ............................ 54 4. Management and Structure ............................ 10 10.4 Internal Audit and Risk Management 4.1. DSC Structure and Organisation Chart ............. 10 Attestation for the 2015/16 Financial Year ........ 66 4.2. Sub-committees ................................................ 11 10.5 Dams Safety Committee 2015/16 – Budgetary 4.3. Meetings ........................................................... 11 and Financial Summary Information .................. 66 4.4. Committee Members ........................................ 12 4.5. Committee Staff ................................................ 14 Appendix A – Dam Owner and Consequence Category Summary - 30 June 2016 ............... 67 5. Summary Review of Operations .................... 16 5.1. Major Achievements for 2015/16 ...................... 16 Appendix B – Current Prescribed Dams in NSW – 30 June 2016 ................................................... 68 5.2. Budget Highlights .............................................. 16 Map - NSW Dams Safety Committee - Prescribed 5.3. Performance Indicators ..................................... 17 Dams in NSW as at July 2016 ............ last page LIST OF TABLES Table 5.1 – 2015/16 Budget Highlights .............. 16 Table 7.5 - Status of Upgrading Activities for Dams and Basins under DSC Table 5.2 - DSC Performance Indicators ........... 17 Particular Review ............................ 31 Table 7.1 - Interation of DSC over Dam Life Table 7.6 - Status of Activities on Dams Cycle ............................................... 23 issued with S18 Show Cause Table 7.2 – Amendments to Guidance Notices ............................................ 32 Sheets ............................................. 23 Table 7.7 - Dams issued with S15 Notices Table 7.3 - Guidance Sheets for Dams outstanding at 30th June 2016 ......... 32 Safety .............................................. 24 Table 7.8 – Guidance Sheets for Mining near Table 7.4 - Dams Modified for Safety Dams ............................................... 42 Upgrading since 2001 (not Table 7.9 - Mining in Notification Areas .............. 42 including tailings dams) .................. 29 Table 7.10 - Monitored Approved Mining 2015/16 ........................................... 43 2 ANNUAL REPORT NSW Dams Safety Committee Annual Report 2015 / 2016 Overview by Chair Our Objectives The mission of the NSW Dams Safety Committee (DSC), an independent statutory body, is to ensure the safety of prescribed dams. To achieve its mission, the DSC has set a number of objectives which are defined in the DSC’s most recent Strategic Plan and are aligned with the requirements of the Dams Safety Act 1978 which constitutes the DSC and defines its functions. Under its Act, the DSC has roles to: Protect the safety, welfare and interests of the community