Central Coast dam levels reached a record high in January 2022 – with Mangrove Creek Dam hitting 77.2 percent and topping the previous high of 76 percent achieved six years ago in February 2016.

This milestone for the region demonstrates the value of optimising the capacity of existing water supply sources – a key pillar of the Central Coast Water Security Plan.

Central Coast Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said the recent removal of a capacity restriction for Mangrove Creek Dam improves the region’s ability to capitalise on periods of heavy rain.

“It is exciting to see record dam levels on the Central Coast and we are seeking to maintain strong levels across the summer due to the current La Niña* weather pattern,” Mr Loader said.

“Previously Council had to stop transferring water into Mangrove Creek Dam at 75 percent total storage and not let the level within the dam exceed 80 percent.

“We have resolved the 80 percent capacity limit that had been in place for Mangrove Creek Dam after working with industry specialists to conduct a detailed risk based assessment within updated Dam Safety Regulations. 

“The ability to fill Mangrove Creek Dam to 100 percent puts us in a significantly stronger position to capitalise on periods of heavy rain and is a key action of Pillar 2 of the Central Coast Water Security Plan, which is focused on optimising the capacity of our existing water sources.

“Further actions in Pillar 2 include maximising water transfers between the Coast and the Hunter, sustainably extracting and treating water from existing groundwater supplies, and using existing recycled water facilities to supply non-drinking water for irrigation and industry.

“While we are experiencing favourable conditions at the moment, into the future we cannot rely on surface water sources alone – water availability and raw water quality can impact our ability to harvest and store more water within our dams.”

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said water planning is key for the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the Central Coast.

“The ability to fill Mangrove Creek Dam to its full capacity is a vital step forward – put simply, we have substantially boosted our ability to store water when it is available,” Mr Hart said.

“It is wonderful to see our dam levels hit new record highs but we can’t lose sight of the actions needed for water security into the future – we must be prepared for a growing population and the potential for severe and sustained drought.

“Through the Central Coast Water Security Plan we are taking a multifaceted approach that encompasses sustainable water usage, making the most of our current water supply resources, and planning for the creation of new water supply sources that don’t rely on rainfall.”

Recent water storage levels

Since 1 November 2021 to 3 February 2022, system operation resulted in:

• Mangrove Creek Dam storage increasing by 1.9 percent – 3,340 megalitres or 1,335 Olympic swimming pools.
• Total dam storage increasing by 3.4 percent – 6,870 megalitres or 2,750 Olympic swimming pools.

*The Bureau of Meteorology in its latest climate driver update on 3 February 2022 outlined that La Niña conditions are continuing and climate models indicate these conditions will likely persist until early autumn 2022. La Niña events increase the chance of above average rainfall across much of northern and eastern Australia during summer.