Angle Crossing

What is it?

The Angle Crossing option involves accessing water from the Murrumbidgee River near Angle Crossing, which is on the southern border of the ACT, and transferring it to Googong Reservoir. This includes the construction of a pump station, potentially a weir at Angle Crossing and a pipeline to Googong Reservoir.

The exact length of the pipeline required will depend on several factors, such as whether it feeds directly into Googong Reservoir or whether it feeds into a creek system that flows into Googong. It will also be dependent on the exact path the pipeline takes. The pipeline will be approximately 13 to 20 kilometres long.

Responding to climate change and variability

All of the options outlined in ACTEW’s 2004-05 Future Water Options studies were based on some key assumptions. ACTEW identified that there had been a fundamental change in one of these assumptions; climate variability and climate change. Based upon work by CSIRO, it was predicted that by 2030, inflows into storages would decrease by 30%, on average. Between 2001 and 2006, however, inflows decreased by more than 60% and by nearly 90% in 2006 alone. This prompted ACTEW to review previous studies and look at further options to secure supply, including the Angle Crossing option, which was originally developed as part of the Future Water Options studies.

How can it help supplement supply?

The Angle Crossing option helps diversify and supplement our existing water supply as it makes better use of our existing storage capacity by accessing and storing water that would otherwise flow out of the ACT. This enables us to supplement our water supplies in times of good flows and could provide up to 20 gigalitres per year in additional water, nearly a third of our average annual use. The Angle Crossing option would also assist with any future releases from Tantangara Dam in NSW. (See Fact Sheet on the Tantangara Transfer.)

How much will it cost?

It is estimated to cost approximately $70 million with an uncertainty factor of +/- 30%. Cost will depend on the transfer capacity and pipeline route and length.

How long will it take?

It would take approximately 3 years to complete including construction time of 18 to 24 months, and 12 months to carry out environmental assessments and gain planning approval.