Four major dam upgrades have been included in the Queensland government's latest infrastructure report, although none of these projects have so far secured firm funding commitments.
The Paradise Dam improvement project, the Somerset Dam safety upgrade, the Lake Macdonald dam safety upgrade and improvements to Nullinga Dam are all listed as unfunded proposals estimated to cost at least $50 million.
Preliminary business cases are currently underway for the Paradise Dam and Somerset Dam projects, while more detailed business cases are being developed for the Nullinga and Macdonald projects.
The business case for the Somerset upgrades, which are needed to ensure the dam complies with state safety regulations, has been delayed after it was intially slated for completion towards the end of last year.
It is now due to be finished by April this year.
Late last year the state government started consultations on the Paradise Dam project.
One controversial proposal put forward for Paradise has been to lower the dam's walls, which would likely make the cost of any upgrade work significantly cheaper.
Irrigators have warned that lowering the walls of Paradise dam could dent the productive capacity of the Burdekin region.
The Nullinga Dam supply scheme improvement, about 50 kilometres south west of Cairns, us expected to give greater water security in the region and boost future economic development.
The Lake Macdonald dam safety upgrade is the only project with a ballpark figure attached to it, and is estimated to cost between $90 million and $100 million.