Gomez Road Dam decommissioning

Announcement

Construction work for this project is on hold due to prolonged wet-weather conditions experienced over April and May 2026, and rainfall forecasts through winter. These conditions create difficulties for construction resulting in higher costs and increased safety risks. Works are scheduled to resume in September 2026 when drier weather is expected.

  • Project typeDam decommissioning
  • Project value$350,000 to $400,000
  • Project scheduleApril to November 2026
  • Contractor nameAsset Construction Limited
A photo of the Gomez Road Dam.

We are undertaking a project to decommission the Gomez Dam in Hikurangi. This involves removing the majority of the existing earth dam structure, which is no longer used for water supply purposes.

Background

The Gomez Dam was constructed in 1977 to support the water supply needs of Hikurangi, which at the time was serviced by its own dedicated water treatment plant.

In the early 2000s, Hikurangi was integrated into Whangārei’s town water supply network. The local treatment plant was decommissioned and the dam has not been used for water supply since that time. It was retained as a potential backup for emergency situations, such as drought or firefighting, but has remained largely inactive.

Although unused, the dam has continued to require regular inspections and maintenance. In 2024, new dam safety regulations came into effect, resulting in Gomez Dam being reclassified. This reclassification increased requirements for inspections and assessments, and associated costs.

To avoid ongoing high maintenance costs and ensure public safety, we have made the decision to proceed with decommissioning the dam.

Project scope

This work is focused solely on the safe decommissioning of the dam, not the future use of the land. It includes the following key activities:

  • emptying water from the dam
  • removing water supply pipes and valves from the intake structure and culvert
  • excavating the dam fill to approximately 1 metre above the existing dam lakebed and culvert 
  • creating a rock-lined channel where part of the dam wall has been removed, allowing floodwater to flow across the remaining earth bank and into the existing stilling basin
  • removing accumulated sediment upstream of the dam to reinstate the natural stream channel.

Fill material is being temporarily placed on an approved fill site on Gomez Road, which is operated by Whangarei District Council. 

Location

200 Gomez Road, Hikurangi 0181  View Map

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