Berembed Weir and Offtake Regulator – Design of Mechanical Designs

⁠⁠⁠Berembed Weir creates a river pool so as to divert water into the Offtake Regulator and into the Main Irrigation Canal in order to provide irrigation orders to the “Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area” (MIA) and also into environmental areas. The Main Irrigation Canal had the single largest water usage state-wide during the 2013/14 financial year. The other main customer is “Office of Environmental and Heritage”.

The Main Weir and the Offtake Regulator were constructed in 1910. The Main Weir’s two river control gates, which regulate the pool height so as to generate the diversion into the offtake channel (the Main Canal), are operated by an automation system and remote telemetry. The existing (and original) gear boxes, which raise and lower the river gates, are at the end of their useful life and must be upgraded so as to ensure reliable and efficient water delivery to both downstream river customers and to the MIA.

The Offtake Regulator and the trashrack system still retain steel work from the original 1910 installation. The Regulator’s ten gates and embedded steel frames (such as gate guides) require renewing because the existing steel work has reached the end of its useful life due to extensive metal loss. The trashracks have failed due to corrosion and need to be replaced by a more efficient system. The Regulator’s working platform, handrails and ladders are not complaint with current WH&S requirements and must be upgraded.

The Offtake Regulator structure currently has its gate guides in an almost unserviceable condition. This is affecting its operational ability. The main risk is that if the Regulator’s gates were to fail, then the flow into the offtake channel (the Main Canal) would be uncontrollable, resulting in possible failure of the Main Canal (by overtopping of the earth banks) and damage to surrounding crops, loss of water supply and an inability to meet all future customer water orders.

There is an urgent need to replace the Offtake Regulator’s gates and components, to upgrade its working platform, and replace the Main Weir’s gear boxes.