Falls Dam is a 34-metre-high rock-fill gravity dam completed in 1935, located on the Manuherikia River in Central Otago, New Zealand, near St Bathans. It is critical infrastructure for irrigating over 8,000 hectares of farmland, including orchards and vineyards, and features a 1.2-megawatt hydro-power station, in front of the dam added in 2003 which is operated by Pioneer Energy.

Manuherikia River Ltd (MRL) have previously undertaken pre-construction works in a different make up including a full engineering feasibility study these works started in 2014 and went on for approximately four years.

Progress on past works has been stymied due to the complexities and challenges of aligning modern engineering with environmental and engineering standards with legacy provisions. 

Fast forward to 2025 and the 90-year-old dam is nearing the end of its lifespan, with an immediate significant investment required to provide critical maintenance for the dam. The dam is also failing to provide enough irrigation in dry years, meaning significant restrictions for farmers and growers. MRL have been focused on replacement of Falls Dam again and have appointed two independent directors to the board for support.

MRL are the recipients of a $2m Government loan through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to support pre-construction works for a replacement of Falls Dam, including the consenting. Some pre-construction work has been undertaken in the past by MRL, and the project will look at the previous work completed to determine which is still relevant.