bcworld

If you want to guess about what it might be like:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Francis_Dam

As the dam collapsed, twelve billion U.S. gallons (45 billion liters) of water surged down San Francisquito Canyon in a dam break wave, demolishing the heavy concrete walls of Power Station Number Two (a hydroelectric power plant), and destroying everything else in its path. The flood traveled south down San Francisquito Canyon, flooding parts of present-day Valencia and Newhall. The deluge then turned west into the Santa Clara River bed, flooding the towns of Castaic Junction, Fillmore, and Bardsdale. The flood continued west through Santa Paula in Ventura County, emptying its victims and debris into the Pacific Ocean at Montalvo, 54 miles (87 km) from the reservoir and dam site. When it reached the ocean at 5:30 a.m., the flood was almost two miles (3 km) wide, traveling at a speed of 5 miles (8 km) per hour. Bodies of victims were recovered from the Pacific Ocean, some as far south as the Mexican border.

So it took 5+ hours to travel 87km, in Brisbane you'd probably get some warning it was coming.

cresta57

Well it hasn't come as promised for 7 out of the last 8 years. Who would be castigated if the dam levels were reduced to say 50% & then it stops raining for months like it has done previous years?
We built our first house here in 2003. We bought an extra water tank & it was installed on May 2nd that year, we didn't get a single drop of rain for the next 5 months
Don't ever take the rain for granted mate, only a few years ago cattle skeletons littered the bushland having died of thirst. Only twelve months ago we were gripped by the worst bushfire season for decades.
One wet year preceded by 7 years of drought

ABCDiamond

Blaster Bates spring to mind

I must get his CD's again, the old audio tapes have vanished.

DeadVim

I see a report in 2007 concluded that Wivenhoe didn't have enough flood mitigation capacity ... I wonder what was done with that information?

Too Hard Basket and concentrate on something minor like ruining King George Square maybe?

asprilla

I noticed recently that they've done a similar job on the chinatown mall in the valley too. It simply didn't have enough concrete in the first place, so BCC have fixed it up.

There used to be a chinese gate at the top end of the chinatown mall.. it was getting a bit weathered and could've done with a splash of paint. But they've ripped that down too, and replaced it with a "modern" version.

DeadVim

I've not been down that way since it was revamped ... sounds like par for the course for 'moderisation'. I do like the Kulipa Bridge though, that is a winner.

spalen

Surely courtesy of the last deluge, fortitude valley would have copped some water and china town will be revamped again?

brissybee

Yes I noticed that 2007 report too. I wonder if anything was done to remedy the situation? Also, a while back, I heard a story which suggested something along the lines that one corner of the dam was designed to break up (after the 3 plugs) to prevent the whole wall breaking up at once if the dam failed. Has anyone else heard anything like this or know if it is true?

DeadVim

The OH has been working in The Valley this week (not like that!) and reports normality ... well, valley normality.

Not heard that, I'm sure there will be more interest in the months to come.

IvanM

Not the media. A Royal Commission whose findings will be ignored will find somethings. The recommendations will be too expensive and inconvenient for developers of riverside homes. Err well kind of near river anything.

Rocklea is still stuffed.

ABCDiamond

Some Brisbane riverside property owners on the TV today, saying that the floods will not stop them living there, its all about lifestyle for 99% of the time, and the odd flood won't stop them enjoying that.

As long as "those ones" insure themselves and don't expect handouts, I suppose that's OK.

fish.01

I don't think wivenhoe can be reduced below 100%.

All the 'experts' in the newspapers blaming the professional dam managers after reading 3 articles in 5 days vs a lifetime of experience...

fish.01

The LNP has spent the past year pushing for part of the flood mitigation to be permanently used for drinking water instead. They said all water releases should stop while this is investigated. I think they said it was absurd that the dams were being emptied back to 100%. Thank god Labor didn't listen

IvanM

Will they be able to get insurance? As I understand flood insurance was hard to get before.

Pollyana

AT 12.26pm on Wednesday, January 5, those in the loop for receiving advice on the operations at Wivenhoe Dam received a timely alert.

It was headed "Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Severe Weather Warning - Dam Flood Operations". Its author, Wivenhoe Dam engineering officer Graham Keegan, wanted to ensure that those authorised to receive his emails understood that significant rainfall of 100mm to 200mm "may occur during the next few days".

Relaying information from his colleagues at the dam's Flood Operations Centre (FOC), he added: "Somerset and Wivenhoe Dams are still above (full supply level) and rising slowly due to continuing base-flows from their catchments. As the catchments are still wet it is likely that we will be releasing floodwaters in the near future if BOM's forecasts are accurate. Please be prepared. We will keep you up to date with our plans as this event develops."

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The Queensland Government has again defended the operators of Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams, west of Brisbane, while releasing the manual used to manage last week's flood.
Some experts have questioned whether the dam was managed appropriately to minimise flooding downstream.
The document includes several strategies for dealing with flood situations.

It states the first priority is ensuring the dam's structural safety, then protecting urban areas from inundation and minimising the impact on rural regions.

Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson says he is releasing the document to refute any allegations of a cover-up.