Program

Monday 26 October

Pre-conference Workshop / Masterclass Sponsored By

0730	Registration Desk Open
0830 - 0835	Welcome
0835 - 0855	ANCOLD Guidelines An update by convenors of the ANCOLD/ICOLD Guidelines & Bulletins: Embankment Dams Tailings Dams & Waste Lagoons ICOLD Technical Committee C Instrumentation
0855 - 0945	An update on the draft ANCOLD Dam Safety Guideline At the end of the session there will be a short time for workshop attendees to ask questions on the Dam Safety Guideline
1000 - 1030	Morning refreshments
1030 - 1245	Workshop - Dam Safety Management Systems, Governance and Tools 1030 - 1045 ANCOLD Dam Safety Liabilities and Corporate Governance Course – reflections and learnings Angus Swindon, Tasset Consulting 1045 - 1130 Presentations of Dam Safety Management Systems (DSMS), independent reviewer/s and ISO55000 – reflections and learnings 1130 - 1145 Reaping the benefits of applying tailings-level governance to water dams Andrew White, GHD 1145 - 1200 Dam Safety Case - application Mark Arnold, Melbourne Water 1200 - 1215 Technical Governance of Water Infrastructure Projects Chris Nielsen, Department of Local Government, Water & Volunteers 1215 - 1230 Refreshing ANCOLD’s Environmental Guidelines to Meet Emerging Environmental Challenges Cherie Blackburn, ACT Government 1230 - 1245 Dam Safety Maturity Matrices – reflections and learnings from implementation and recent audits Dan Forster, Dam Safety Intelligence NZ Questions will be held till the final session Tailings Masterclass 1030 - 1045 Understanding tailings dam failure modes 1045 - 1130 Workshop – Identifying failure modes in a hypothetical dam 1130 - 1145 Discussion and Q & A on failure modes
1245 - 1330	Lunch
1330 - 1500	Workshop - Risk Based/Informed Surveillance 1330 - 1345 Smart Surveillance for Resilient Dams: ICOLD's New Bulletins on Diagnostic Behaviour Analyses and Data Management Manuel Membrillera, GHD 1345 - 1400 Reconsidering Surveillance Decisions Under a SFAIRP/ALARP Lens: Bridging Risk-Based Reviews and Dam Performance Governance Tansy Huang, HARC 1400 - 1500 Presentations on the application of Risk Based Surveillance – drivers, reflections and learnings Fraser White, Hydro Tasmania Tom Bugden, Snowy Hydro Tailings Masterclass 1330 - 1345 Selecting and applying instrumentation for failure mode monitoring 1345 - 1400 Workshop – Choosing the right instruments based on failure modes
1500 - 1530	Afternoon refreshments
1530 - 1700	Workshop - Panel Discussion 1530 - 1630 *This is a panel discussion where workshop attendees will be able to ask questions of the presenters, answering questions submitted during the presentations* Tailings Masterclass 1530 - 1700 Developing effective trigger levels for monitoring and risk management Q & A and wrap-up discussion
1730 - 2030	Welcome Reception Theatre Royal Sponsored By
2000 - 2200	EP Networking Night Theatre Royal, Vanessa Goodwin Room Sponsored By

Tuesday 27 October

DAY 1: Technical Program

0800	Registration Desk opens Sponsored By Name badge Check-in kiosks Delegate gift Wi-Fi Sustainability Exhibition Opens Sponsored By Diamond Sponsor/Head Shot Lounge Premium Lounge Barista Cart Barista Cart Indulgence Cart
0900	Conference Opening Welcome to Country Welcome from ANCOLD Chair Emerging Professional (EP) Update
0930	Keynote speaker Stephen MacCarthy Corporate Security Manager, Water Corporation The security of critical infrastructure With the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act now having had several years of operation this keynote will explore how industry has responded, practical implications, and what next? From his unique perspective from years of experience with Australian and US security agencies, Stephen will take the audience on a journey starting from the high-level aspirations of the SOCI Act and federal Countering Foreign Interference Policy, through implementation approaches, to practical considerations and impacts for dam and TSF owners based on the current threat landscape in Australia.
1030	Morning refreshments
1100 - 1230	Concurrent session Advances in hydrology, hydraulics, climate change, and consequence assessments 1100 Incorporating Future Floods into Safety of Dams Flood Risk Assessments Kent Walker, US Bureau of Reclamation USA 1115 Preliminary portfolio screening of ARR climate change impacts Chriselyn Kavanagh, Aurecon Australasia 1130 One size fits all … mostly: lessons in adapting standard designs to a new spillway Colin Terry, Hydro Tasmania 1145 Predicting runoff using real time rainfall data: a case-study based new approach Xinqian Leng, SMEC Australia EP 1200 Hydraulic design insights from the largest spill event on record at Rookwood Weir: Comparing prototype observations with design-phase PHM and CFD model results Carlos Gonzalez, Sunwater 1215 Climate Change impacts on Flood Risks - What can Dam Owners do? James Stuart, Climate Resilience Thanks to our Sustaining Member Tailings dams guidelines, practice, technology, performance, risk, closure and rehabilitation 1100 Influence of Papua New Guinea Seismic Sources on Ground Motion Estimates for Northern Australia and Implications for Tailing Storage Facility Safety Andreas Skarlatoudis, AECOM 1115 Enhancing Tailings Dam Safety through a Truth-of-Source Monitoring Data Governance Framework Khishigsuren Davagdorj, Oyu Tolgoi LLC EP 1130 In-Situ Stress Measurement in Tailings with the Self-Boring Pressuremeter: A Case Study from the Aitik TSF, Sweden Rohan Sutton, Cambridge Insitu 1145 A case study of application of risk-based framework on the design of a large tailings storage facility in high rainfall and seismically active environment Kimiko Rengifo Arakaki, WSP 1200 Adapting to Change: The Evolution of Tailings Management Roles and Responsibilities Jodie Kilpatrick, SLR Consulting 1215 State Parameter Evaluation in Tailings Using Medusa DMT Mahdi Naeini, ATC Williams EP Thanks to our Sustaining Member
1230	Lunch EP Lunch Sponsored By
1400 - 1500	Concurrent session Advances in hydrology, hydraulics, climate change, and consequence assessments 1400 Geo-Structural Effects on Seismic Fatalities of Urban and Suburban Dams Sonia Fortuna, SA Water 1407 Integrating Material Point Method and non-Newtonian Hydraulic modelling for Tailings Dam Break Analysis Mike Liu, Red Earth Engineering - A Geosyntec Company EP 1414 Assessing Retarding Basins as a Connected Systems in Fast-Changing Development Environments Albert Shen, HARC EP 1421 Physics-informed ensemble seasonal forecasts for reservoir airspace management Tze Ling Seline Ng, Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 1428 An update on Data-Fusion-based Dam Breach Empirical Equations Monte Azmi, Acciona Engineering and Design EP 1435 Practical choices for implementing medium-range ensemble inflow forecasts to dams James Bennett, CSIRO 1442 Extreme Pressures in Hydraulic Jump Stilling Basins with and without Baffle Block Hubert Chanson, The University of Queensland 1449 Evaluating effectiveness of alternative evacuation strategies for large populations using LifeSim Edward Funnell, HARC 1456 Hydrodynamic Pressure Fluctuations in Plunge Pools: A Comparative Study of Numerical and Experimental Approaches Cameron Fraser, SMEC 1503 When underestimated rainfall becomes a dam safety problem: Reanalysis of Design Rainfall for Chichester Dam and Implications for Risk Assessments Tim Craig, HARC Thanks to our Sustaining Member Dam engineering theory and practice improvements, including analysis, foundations, risk and materials 1400 Comparisons of 1D and 2D Site Response Analyses for Seismic Design of Dams Joshua Chan, GHD EP 1407 Practical Guidance for Applying Rock Erodibility Indices in Spillway Design and Dam Safety Risk Assessment Nicholas Thomas-Kinsella, GHD 1414 Integrating Finite Element Stress Analysis and Probabilistic Interpretation in Sliding Stability Assessment: A Case Study of Concrete Arch Dam Graham Roberts, Stantec 1421 When Monitoring Data Tells a Different Story: Foundation Seepage Reassessment at a Legacy Dam Sahar Mamouri, Stantec 1428 From Marginal Safety to Design Confidence: Numerical Modelling of Flow and Cyclic Liquefaction in a Raised Tailings Facility Reza Mahinroosta, GHD 1435 Eliciting and Interpreting Societal Concerns in Dam Safety ALARP Assessments Colin Brain, SMEC 1442 Appropriate selection of target spectra for the production of Earthquake Time Histories Wayne Peck, Seismology Research Centre 1449 Expert Elicitation for Dam Safety Risk Analysis Case Study in Australia Angus Riordan, GHD Sony Panicker, GHD EP 1456 Stilling basin anchor fatigue design using DES CFD modelling Kabelo Seosenyeng, GHD 1503 Re‑Evaluating a Century of Deformation Concerns: Advanced Owner‑Led Stability, Deformation and Risk Assessment for Prospect Dam Hassan Ghafouri, WaterNSW
1500	Afternoon Refreshments
1530 - 1700	Concurrent session Asset lifecycle: planning, procurement, construction, dam operations, maintenance and decommissioning 1530 Scaling Up Dam Safety Management for Urban Flood Detention Dams in the Aftermath of a Catastrophic Cyclone Nathan Fletcher, Stantec EP 1545 Managing Risk and Delivery Constraints in Spillway Remediation at Leslie Harrison Dam Tatiane Martins, Seqwater Amanda Ament, GHD EP 1600 Cooby Dam Wet Tower Conversion - a Project Journey from Pipework Replacement Stephen Petrie, Tell Advisory 1615 Sedimentation of Gigerwald Reservoir - Raising of intake and bottom outlet under challenging conditions Sam Weatheritt, Lombardi Engineering Australia 1630 Contemporary good practice in flood operations of gated dams Michel Raymond, Hydrology and Risk Consulting Pty Ltd (HARC) 1645 AI-Assisted Failure Mode Identification and Risk Assessment Adrian Morales Torres, iPresas Risk Analysis Thanks to our Sustaining Member Dam safety management, regulation, emergency management, environment, and First Nations 1530 Benchmarking International Emergency Preparedness & Response Guidelines utilizing CEATI's Dam Safety Maturity Matrix Kathleen Brock, Tennessee Valley Authority 1545 A National-Scale Digital Platform for Dam Safety, Emergency Management and BIM: Lessons from 175 State-Owned Large Dams in Spain Stefan Hoppe, OFITECO 1600 Parametric Analysis of Cost-to-Save-a-Statistical-Life: Practical Insights for Dam Safety Investment Decisions Nate Snorteland, HDR 1615 How Can Risk-Based Approaches Be Used to Improve Dam Safety? Worldwide Examples and Lessons Learned Adrian Morales Torres, iPresas Risk Analysis 1630 The Application of New South Wales and Australian Dams Safety Guidelines to Detention Basins and Flood Levees in Urban Environments Monica Laut, Haskoning Australia EP 1645 Beyond PAR and PLL- A review of information and guidance for assessing the consequence of dam failure on environmental assets Claire Hendley, Dams Safety NSW EP Thanks to our Sustaining Member
1700	Close Day 1
1830 - 2300	Conference Dinner MyState Bank Arena Sponsored by

Wednesday 28 October

DAY 2: Technical Program

0700	WILD (Women in Large Dams) breakfast session By invitation Sponsored By Venue sponsor
0830	Registration Desk Open Sponsored By Name badge Check-in kiosks Delegate gift Wi-Fi Sustainability Exhibition Open Sponsored By Diamond Sponsor/Head Shot Lounge Premium Lounge Barista Cart Barista Cart Indulgence Cart
0900	Keynote speaker Professor Toby Walsh ARC Laureate Fellow & Scientia Professor of AI Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Critical Infrastructure: Opportunities, Risks, and Responsibility Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from an experimental tool to decision making partner in engineering, with profound implications for safety-critical infrastructure such as dams and tailings facilities. In this keynote, Professor Toby Walsh draws on his global leadership in AI research and governance to explain what today’s AI systems can — and cannot — do, and how they are likely to evolve over the next decade. He explores how AI may transform monitoring, design, risk assessment, and operational decision-making, while also introducing new challenges around trust, accountability, and resilience. The session equips engineers and decision-makers with a clear, realistic principles for engaging with a “smart future” without compromising safety, professional judgement, or public trust.
1000	Morning Refreshments
1030 - 1200	Concurrent session Working smarter – use of artificial intelligence, technology, training and innovation 1030 From Photos to Insights: AI-Assisted Analysis of Historical Records for Dam Safety Reviews and Risk Assessment Nima Akbari Paydar, SMEC 1045 Feet on the ground, eyes on the data: ground-truthing the future of dam monitoring on Tasmania’s Wild West Coast Aaron Kelly, Entura 1100 Lean on me: How Toyota’s Lean manufacturing can improve dam construction productivity Trent Thomson, Queensland Hydro Andrew Tindal, Acciona Geotech EP 1115 From Field Data to Digital Asset: Advancing Dam Safety through GIS Based Surveillance Inspections Josh Kline, GHD 1130 Unleash your Potential Energy: The Powerful Role of Training in a Dam Safety Management Program Sally Fracalossi, Entura EP 1145 Incremental Automation of Monitoring Data Management and Reporting for Tailings Storage Facilities Hugo Brandao, Klohn Crippen Berger EP Dam engineering theory and practice improvements, including analysis, foundations, risk and materials 1030 Would quantitative risk analysis have prevented the 1976 failure of the Bureau of Reclamation's Teton Dam? Dom Galic, US Bureau of Reclamation 1045 Development of a Hazard Classification for Reservoir Landslides Don MacFarlane, AECOM 1100 Concrete Gravity Dam Risk Assessment: The Use (and Misuse) of Design Inputs and Probabilistic Methods Lyndon Johnson, Dam Safety Consulting 1115 What Makes a Neotectonic Fault Significant? A Sensitivity Based Exploration of Dam Seismic Hazard Allie Phillips, GHD EP 1130 Innovative Decoupled Approach for Structural Analysis of Concrete Gravity Dams in Complex Geotechnical Foundations Francisco Lopez, SMEC 1145 Expert Elicitation in Dam Safety Risk Analysis David Bowles, RAC Engineers And Economists, LLC and Utah State University
1200	Lunch
1300 - 1335	Concurrent session Working smarter – use of artificial intelligence, technology, training and innovation 1300 Reducing Operational Uncertainty Through Groundwater Modelling: Lessons from the Site C Right Bank Foundation Ann Wen, Klohn Crippen Berger 1307 Unified data capture platform for environmental survey work at Barlil and Cooranga Weir Blair Cheyne, Sunwater EP 1314 RAMPing up Dam Risk Assessments Samantha Wongsodihardjo, HATS Consulting 1321 Integrating Creep and Material Nonlinearity into AAR Modelling of Concrete Dams – A Practical Modelling Framework Lasal Fernando, Entura EP 1328 The Future of Dam Monitoring: Fewer Surveyors, Smarter Systems Michael Nicholson, Geomatix Tailings dams guidelines, practice, technology, performance, risk, closure and rehabilitation 1300 From Current State to Future Stage: Optimising TSF Performance to Meet Evolving Operational Demands Emmanuel Baah-Frempong, Klohn Crippen Berger 1307 Resilient Digital Architectures for Tailings Dam Monitoring and Risk Management Baden Corr, Entura EP 1314 Closure or recycling of tailings dams for a Smart Future David Brett, GHD 1321 Smart Technology, Smart Monitoring: A Risk Aligned Approach for TSF Monitoring Jedd Linke-Nagel, ATC Williams EP 1328 Temporal Shear Wave Velocity Variations in Response to Rainfall at a TSF in a Tropical Climate Chandula Weerasekara, The University of Western Australia EP 1335 Deriving Reliable Residual Strength Parameters for Heterogeneous Tailings by Integrating In-Situ Testing, Advanced Laboratory Methods, and Stratigraphic Characterisation Arun Muhunthan, ATC Williams Thanks to our Sustaining Member
1342	Session reset
1342 - 1430	Concurrent session Asset lifecycle: planning, procurement, construction, dam operations, maintenance and decommissioning 1342 Lessons from the wilderness: A young design engineers’ tale from a year in dam construction Isaac Probert, Pinion Advisory EP 1349 From Static Manuals to Living Systems: A Framework for Modern Dam O&M Documentation Leigh Martin, AECOM 1356 Contemporary leading practice in dam flood operations review studies: Glenmaggie Dam case study Richard Mannix, HARC 1403 Guidance on building weirs in Queensland Chris Nielsen, Department of Local Government Water and Volunteers 1410 Enhancing Uplift Drain Performance: Operational Insights from Seqwater’s Large Dams Portfolio Tim Lawrence, Seqwater 1417 Meadowbank Spillway Gate Upgrade – Managing Spill Risk During the Outages David Law, Entura 1424 Staged remedial works for progressive spillway rock erosion at Moondarra Reservoir James Williamson, Gippsland Water Thanks to our Sustaining Member Dam safety management, regulation, emergency management, environment, and First Nations 1342 Are you triggered? The Dam Engineer’s Role during Emergency Response Michael Aboud, Entura EP 1349 The Hidden Design and Operations Driver: Environmental Flows and Their Role in Dam Resilience Claudia Smith, Sunwater EP 1356 State-of-Practice Assessment: Emergency Preparedness for Dams in NSW Damien Bryan, Banzi Consulting Services Craig Ronan, NSW State Emergency Service 1403 Dam Risk Assessment – Geological hazard collaboration for improved understanding of seismic hazard Helen Baxter-Crawford, SMEC EP 1410 The Double Fish Lock Jack Bygott, Sunwater EP 1417 Integrated trigger methods for dam safety monitoring Beatriz Friguetto, KCB 1424 Emergency Dewatering Outlets – Do they increase the resilience of a dam or can they become a maintenance nightmare? Richard Herweynen, Entura Thanks to our Sustaining Member
1430	Afternoon Refreshments
1500	Panel session Panellists TBC
1530 - 1615	Conference Close and Awards Sponsored By Venue sponsor
1630	ANCOLD Annual General Meeting
1800	End of conference get-together Mezzanine, Hotel Grand Chancellor Sponsored By

Thursday 29 October

Tours

Sponsored By

Mechanical Derwent Tour - One Day Tour

Gordon Tour - Two Day Tour

Friday 30 October

Tour

Sponsored By

Gordon Tour - Two Day Tour

The ANCOLD 2026 Conference reserves the right to amend or alter any advertised details relating to dates, program and speakers, if necessary, without notice, as a result of circumstances beyond their control. All attempts will be made to keep any changes to an absolute minimum.