Wivenhoe level to be dropped

[Member]

From the Brisbane Times:

Southeast Queensland residents may be apprehensive that 25 per cent of Wivenhoe Dam's water will travel downstream later this week, but community representatives have backed the move.

A 290,000 megalitre release to begin next weekend would mitigate further flooding, Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said yesterday.

The second strongest La Nina weather pattern in history prevailing over Queensland made the "very conservative and precautionary" approach necessary, he said.

Advertisement: Story continues below The dam's role in last month's flooding of Brisbane remains controversial, with some critics claiming that earlier releases of water would have stopped the inundation of up to 20,000 properties.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said some people may be concerned the equivalent of one year's drinking supply will be released from the dam.

"I'd rather deal with people complaining about their lawns dying, than see more homes and properties destroyed by floods," he said.

"More people would be nervous if it's still raining and Wivenhoe is still full.

"I'm pleased they're releasing water ... let's be on the safe side and have Wivenhoe Dam used for flood mitigation."

Low-lying roads near Ipswich, such as Colleges Crossing, Savages Crossing and Twin Bridges, were likely to be closed during the release.

Ipswich councillor Paul Tully said it was possible the Moggill Ferry would again have to suspend services as debris rushed down the Brisbane River.

"I'd say there will be a lot of speculation, a lot of concern and apprehension," he said.

"People will be talking. People who use Colleges Crossing will probably be angry.

"The dam release also might bring back some fears that maybe something more in terms of rainfall is being predicted."

Mr Robertson said the Brisbane River would not break its banks as a result of the planned releases.

"There will be no significant downstream impacts," he said.

Seqwater chief executive Peter Borrows said it was too difficult to say whether a 25 per cent release would stop another flood on the scale of those seen in January - but guessed it was "extremely unlikely".

"It would have had to have been a major reduction in the storage to have any impact on a major flood event," he said.

Mr Borrows stood by the management of the dam, saying it went by the book in the face of unprecedented flooding.

I guess the people who use Colleges Crossing will be only half as angry as the people who'll be stranded by Savages being underwater again.  Unless they've fixed the England Creek road, which we couldn't get through last week in a 4 x 4.  Twin Bridges will again have the guts ripped out of it.  I heard on the radio that it'll start this weekend and go for 9 days.

[Member]

What an absolutely rediculous idiotic reactionary move.

Stephen Robertson, tuck 'em up & stand by the managers of the dam who did a fantastic job to minimise the effects of the recent flooding.

To those who a pissing & moaning that the operation of Wivenhoe "cause or added to the flooding" wake the hell up you fools. I would be annoyed really to see any of the conspiracy theorists watering lawns, washing cars or owning swimming pools....

If we bo back into drought conditions we've just lost over a years worth of water. Anyone remember Wivenhoe at 17% ? Comparing apples & apples, we'd have been drinking muddy sewage if Wivenhoe started out 10 meters behind the blocks last time around.

Idiocy!!!!

[Member]

And they do this now when it hasn't rained to any extent in the last month . No real rain in BigW's catchment since the flood. And that they have the level back to 40% of total volume . You can't help but think that some government spin doctor has thought this up . 

Cheers,
Dave.

[Member]

Gotta be a Government decision, and how about Urban Utilities.  The $100 worth of free water didn't appear on the latest accounts sent out.  Just a letter saying it will be applied in April.  The people that did use a lot of water for the clean-up have to pay for it this month and wait until the next quarter to get a discount.  What if they don't use 20 kilolitres next quarter?  Urban Utilities is a private company, wholly owned by the Councils.

Hey Fitz, don't hold back mate, tell us how you really feel.

[Member]

Does anyone seem to get the fact that Wivenhoe isnt a be all to end all flood controll system its just a buffer .

If anyone is to blame or point the finger at its land developers and the government for ignoring the 74 flood levels.

But quiet right saying that they could have well shot themselves in the foot going ahead with this water release, all parts of the "scenic rim shire" are drying cracking and crumbling with no follow up rain. The grass isnt holding up very well and with all the rain we did have hay crops ie lucurne was completly destroyed and any sort of fodder or hay isnt in abundance at the moment. Local farmers will be in trouble soon.

Personally i think they are doing the wrong thing by releasing all that water as the situation for the areas below big W will be in the same sito soon.
Waste not want not.

Steve

[Member]

I thought I heard something of this on triple m this morning and I thought it had to be a joke and then I come home and read this thread, I can't believe it. Not that long ago the dam was empty and the government wasted millions of dollars to manufacture water and run pipelines from dam to dam. I just can't believe they are going to let it go all down the drain..

For what? To protect Brisbane from another flood that was caused from too much rain in catchments below the dam.

They have to be idiots alright...Water is an extremely valuable resource, I know this because I am paying way way too much for it on my water bills.

Give us all $200 off our water bills and let us use it on our cars, houses, boats, gardens, lawns, dog, whatever...

What is the reasoning behind this and who made this decision. Who says it's going to rain like that again soon....Absolutely ridiculous!!!!

[Member]

Yeah this has me frothing at the mouth to.
Idiots.
no1. Drought affects all the South East, not just 20,000 homes. Water supply should be 1st priority.
 
no2. Whilst I feel for people in Brisbane flooded, the fact is they live in the flood plain, it floods. Just like I live in the bush, I have the risk of my house burning down every summer, I live with it, I accept it. I'll be very upset if it happens, but its my risk I take for the lifestyle I want to live. You dont hear me asking them to burn all the national parks so my place is safe do you?

no3. Biggest tides of the year in the period they now want to release the water down the river. That is real smart, one good afternoon storm with a high tide swollen by water releases and its all on again.

Morons

[Member]

They have to be idiots alright...Water is an extremely valuable resource, I know this because I am paying way way too much for it on my water bills.

Give us all $200 off our water bills and let us use it on our cars, houses, boats, gardens, lawns, dog, whatever...

I for one am going to wash the car, my house, soak the veggie patch, hose down the driveway, have long showers, hell I'll even wash the neighbours cars (4 of them).
As soon as someone can tell me how to stop the dam meter at the front of the house from ticking over! 

The amount of complaints on the Courier Mail website on this matter is amazing.  Give us the right to use the water and release less and drop the water restrictions and the cost of water.  Who the hell is making these decisions and is there anyway we can stop them, that's what I want to know.   

[Member]

They are certainly making it hard to go fishing

[Member]

Who's behind it? Recon there's some townhouse owners on millionaire row who seem to think the Wivenhoe Dam is to fault for the flood.


This is one of the silliest, stupidest, rediculous, knee jerk reactions I've seen. That 25% took just a few hours on D Day, but is 1 - 2 years worth of dunny flushes in the city. Hope the snot nosed toffs along the river in Brisbane like showering & washing the BMW in turds.....

Didn't you know all our water just comes out of a tap..... only for showers mind you, most of those river dwelling whingers only drink Evian...

[Member]

An excuse a poly used on the news was that oh well Wyaralong is full if they ever get in trouble ..... Did they not learn anything from the last dam link pipeline to Towoomba ? DUH!

Im still doubting Wyaralongs water holdings capabilities as all the country around the dam is sandstone and sand .... sorry to deviate from the topic again.

Fitz you may need another beer ... or maybe one less, no point popping a roid over other peoples incompetence.

Steve

[Member]

So the boffins reckon any shortfall in Brisbane's water supply can be topped up through the Tugun desal plant . We are led to believe climate change is caused by increasing levels of carbon pollution in the atmosphere . With climate change we get different extremes to rainfall and drought . Water produced by desalination costs 7-10 times that of water produced by dams . The majority of the cost is in the extremely large amount of electricity consumed though the desal process .

So , when drought conditions return caused by climate change ( it in turn caused by carbon pollution )  , we are going to cause even greater carbon pollution through burning of coal for electricity , to run desalination plants for the water we didn't get due to the drought caused by previous carbon pollution . Queensland the smart state !

Droping the level of Wivenhoe to 75% of operational levels due to the "possibility " of future rain events , does that mean the State Government is admitting that they got the operation of Wivenhoe wrong from the start of the summer? Or would they just pass the buck to SeqWater as they are a government owned corporation and therefore the government is not responsible for that company's day to day running? The lawyers are going to a have a field day . Bring on the revolution I say , Egypt style !!!

[Member]

Channel 9 news even elluded to the fact that the lowering of Wivenhoe will protect the people of Grantham the next time around.  Might have to email them a Google Earth link of where the hell Grantham is compared to Wivenhoe.  Sadly, the tools running this State, and the tools reporting to the people are way out of touch with reality.

[Member]

Dale I think it was the same network, during the flood crisis a reporter was standing at the junction of the Bremer & Brisbane rivers explaining to the ignorant masses that when the flood waters from Lockyer creek hit the Bremer it would all end up at the junction & add to the Brisbane river flow
Must be their creed to never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Gotta feel sorry for the poor buggers at SEQ Water, they will cop the rough end of the pineapple whatever the outcome.

Cheers Andrew

[Member]

My mum said if you cant say something nice then dont say anything at all

I dont always listen to my ma.

This is a joke. More hand operaters with NFI.

Stupid sharp point

thats as close I can go to be sorta nice.