Cascade & Scaddan Dam Cover Installs with Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

Daisy Pool Covers recently completed modular dam cover installations at both Cascade Dam and Scaddan Dam in regional Western Australia with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).

Designed to provide approximately 60% surface coverage at full water capacity, the installations demonstrate the flexibility of Daisy’s modular evaporation cover systems and the importance of adapting onsite to real-world conditions.

The project involved supplying and installing modular dam cover systems that can be mixed and matched as water levels rise and fall throughout the year. Rather than one fixed cover, the systems use multiple floating modules tethered together and secured with ski rope and star pickets. This allows the covers to adapt to varying water levels while maintaining practical evaporation control coverage.

The modular design also simplifies handling, installation and long-term maintenance for shire staff.

Cascade Dam

Located northeast of the Esperance townsite, the Cascades installation covered approximately 3,930m² using:

• 14 modules measuring approximately 25m x 5.24m

• 32 modules measuring approximately 12.5m x 5.24m

• Total of 46 cover modules

Scaddan Dam

Located east of the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, the Scaddan installation covered approximately 1,310m² using:

• 9 modules measuring approximately 25m x 5.24m

• 2 modules measuring approximately 12.5m x 5.24m

• Total of 11 cover modules

As with many large-scale infrastructure projects, onsite conditions required the installation team to adapt the original layout during installation.

At Scaddan Dam, the team encountered several obstructions that had not been identified beforehand, including: Float pumps, a tripod frame and a farmer’s pump requiring some on-the-ground solutions.

At Cascade Dam, a concrete pontoon positioned near the centre of the dam required all modules to be offset to one side rather than sitting centrally. While this altered the visual symmetry of the installation, it has no impact on the effectiveness or performance of the cover system.

The installations were completed with minimal disruption to the sites. Covers were laid out on the ground near the dam edge, tethered together, and progressively pulled onto the water surface before being secured into position.

The only requirements onsite were:

• Vehicle access to and around the dam

• Clear staging area for module preparation

• Anchor points via star pickets

A key part of the project involved working directly alongside local shire staff during installation.

Three shire staff members assisted the Daisy team throughout the Cascades and Scaddan installations, gaining practical hands-on experience with:

• Module handling

• Tethering systems

• Anchoring methods

• Tension management as water levels fluctuate

Combined with previous installations at Grass Patch, there are now at least six trained shire personnel familiar with Daisy dam cover systems and installation methods.

The project also highlighted the logistics involved in servicing remote regional locations, with the Daisy team travelling more than 700km each way to complete the works.

By combining scalable module sizing, minimal site impact and adaptable layouts, Daisy’s dam cover systems continue to provide reliable water conservation solutions across regional Australia.