Cairns Regional Council is legally required under the Water Supply (Safety & Reliability) Act 2008 to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for each of its referable dams.

Council owns three referable dams:

  • Copperlode Falls Dam (Lamb Range)
  • Moody Creek Detention Basins 1 and 1A (Kanimbla)
  • McKinnon Creek Detention Basin (Edmonton)

An EAP sets out the steps Council and emergency services will take is a dam-related emergency occurs. It identifies possible dam hazards, shows which areas may be affected by each hazard, and guides the coordinated emergency response.

To support community safety, Council has also developed:

  • an Evacuation Guide for residents in the Red Zone of Copperlode Falls Dam
  • Emergency Flood Information Guides for residents in the Hazard Zones for Moody Creek and McKinnon Creek Detention Basins

These guides explain what actions community members should take to stay safe in the event of a dam-related emergency.

You can access each EAP, digital copies of the Evacuation and Emergency Flood Information Guides, and an interactive map to check if your property is in an affected area on the pages linked below.

Copperlode Falls Dam Emergency Action Plan

As the Copperlode Falls Dam owner, Council is required under Queensland law to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP).

Moody Creek Detention Basin spillway looking towards Manunda

Detention Basin Emergency Action Plans

As the owner of two stormwater detention basins (Moody Creek and McKinnon Creek), Council is required under Queensland law to have Emergency Action Plans (EAPs).

Last Updated: 31 March 2026

Latest News > All News

Works underway to restore critical water infrastructure

Fast-tracked remediation works are underway to bring two of Council’s largest reservoirs back into service. It will strengthen water storage...

General Updates
12 June 2026

Recycling contamination is increasing costs

Cairns households generate around 50,000 tonnes of waste each year, costing Council approximately $16 million to collect, process and dispose...

Council Projects & Services
11 June 2026

King tides expected from Friday

King tides are expected to affect Cairns this from week, from Friday 12 June through to Saturday 20 June....

General Updates
10 June 2026