Emergency services are continuing to monitor two dams at risk of failing south of Adelaide and in the hills, but are confident they will be able to mitigate any risk.

Key points:

  • A watch-and-act message is in place for a dam at Hope Forest
  • The wall of that dam has been compromised and there are road closures in place
  • Another warning is in place for a dam at Basket Range

A watch-and-act message is in place for a dam at high risk of failure at Hope Forest and a separate warning is in place for a dam at Basket Range.

State Emergency Services state duty officer Ian Bonython said crews would make an assessment of the Hope Forest dam this morning, where the wall has been compromised.

“The issue with that dam is the wall itself. It’s got some corrugated iron in it which is compromising the integrity of it with all of the rain and the saturation of the soil around it,” Mr Bonython told ABC Radio Adelaide’s Nikolai Beilharz.

The dam at Hope Forest has been at risk of failing since heavy rains last week.(ABC News: Ethan Rix)

“The issue there is actually getting it excavated down to extend the spillway of that dam to try and lower the level to assist with trying to keep the dam wall in tact.

“With the uncertainty of the dam wall we have got road closures in place in that area.”

Mr Bonython said there was still some concern about Basket Range with extensive earth slippage 10 metres away from the dam wall. 

“Because of that slippage dirt and rocks had gone down on to that road, so the council have now cleared that however, with the saturation again of the soil and the showers that are still going to continue, we still do have to monitor that spillage. It’s quite extensive,” he said.

“We are still worried about that, we are still siphoning water from that dam just in case there is more slippage.”

Crews are still concerned about Basket Range with extensive earth slippage 10 metres away from the dam wall.(ABC News: Michael Clements)

Mr Bonython said a number of residents in proximity to both dams have been contacted and asked to put together emergency plans.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast more wet weather, but at much lower levels than has been experienced since the end of last week.

Mr Bonython said between the forecast and measures in place, crews are confident the dams will not fail.

“Along with the dropping of the dam levels we’re confident that we can do something to mitigate those risks,” he said.

Posted , updated