6 December 2010

Here comes 100%

| johnboy
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[First filed: Dec 3, 2010 @ 10:44]

This was the Cotter Dam yesterday:

cotter dam

And this is it today

cotter dam in flood [Photos by Androo]

Note the bed of the new dam wall appears to be disappearing fast.

On the bright side ACTEW CEO Mark Sullivan has tweeted thusly:

We will likely see dams at 100% capacity within the day. Googong will top as early as this afternoon. The flow over Cotter is amazing.

If it buckets down again today we could start seeing some major infrastructure failures. Yesterday afternoon was scary.

UPDATE: ActewAGL are warning that the brown water is getting browner as the stormwater getting into sewage has overloaded the Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre which is now releasing partially treated effluent:

ActewAGL advises all residents on the Murrumbidgee River, downstream from the junction of the Molonglo River and above Burrinjuck Reservoir, and the general public not to draw water from the above section of the Murrumbidgee River for either potable (drinking or food preparation) or non-potable domestic purposes for the next 72 hours, due to potentially increased health risks resulting from the partially treated sewage/effluent. We also advise against swimming and other water contact sports in the Murrumbidgee River over this period.

And Another Thing: Thanks to everyone who’s sent in photos, the slideshow below is looking great and includes pictures of Googong overspilling and where Lake George is at. (if you’ve got more images@the-riotact.com )

And here’s some video of the mighty Cotter:

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Laest video – this time, from ACTEW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VP6FiVpgUE

Enjoy.

Holden Caulfield8:09 pm 05 Dec 10

androo said :

Sadly the road is locked during wet weather as it’s susceptible to landslips, water over road, and is quite slippery in places. I had access arranged to photograph it as there’s very few photographs of it in spill, even fewer of all five spillways flowing.

Bloody loud too, 40m dead fall into the spillway channel below… I grabbed a quick vid (first time capturing video on my dslr) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucC3DeHRPAU

Thank you, the video worked very well.

creative_canberran5:15 pm 05 Dec 10

miz said :

This is brilliant! This is one of those ‘catchup’ rainy summers. I just wish the Cotter or Tennent were complete.

As I have mentioned on the Riot before, ACTEW (Mark Sullivan) has previously stated that the expanded Cotter and other measures (pipelines etc) will only keep ACT’s water secure until 2035.
Given the drought patterns of the regions listed below, (as previously cited on this site), we are going to need yet another dam by 2035.

(Dates from Cedric Bryant’s ‘Gardening’ in CT Relax 31/10/2010):
1902
[probably other years need to be inserted here, but special mention to 1933 as we had very severe bush fires that year, indicating similar conditions to 2003]
1944
1957
1968
1982
(then, obviously 2003 to 2008/2009).

Also, it’s worth noting that our current dams are not necessarily secure.
An ACTEW report from 2004 looked at various options for expanding Bendora Dam including raising the wall or installing fuse plugs in the spillways.
However, due to the horizontal compaction of the rock on the left side of the dam and the angle of the rock face, special braces were used during construction to hold the dam wall up. The braces are now past their designed life cycle so no expansion is possible.

I’ve also read reports about the existing Cotter Dam including leakage through the wall and doubts about what exactly the state of its foundations are. It shouldn’t be a surprise that early reports looked at expanding the Cotter by building on top of the existing wall, yet later reports favoured a totally new wall far downstream.

Holden Caulfield said :

Cool, I wasn’t aware that access to Bendora was possible. Do you need a 4WD or can any flashy hatchback make it?!

Sadly the road is locked during wet weather as it’s susceptible to landslips, water over road, and is quite slippery in places. I had access arranged to photograph it as there’s very few photographs of it in spill, even fewer of all five spillways flowing.

Bloody loud too, 40m dead fall into the spillway channel below… I grabbed a quick vid (first time capturing video on my dslr) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucC3DeHRPAU

GardeningGirl1:47 pm 05 Dec 10

Great pics. Love the nighttime ones of Scrivener Dam, and the latest ones of the clouds by Pommy Bastard.

So did the Woden drains cope with all the rain I wonder.

Did the planned Woden Green area (former flood plain) survive ok?

Holden Caulfield11:17 am 05 Dec 10

Three post nutbag?

Some extra YouTube footage…

Scrivener Dam
Googong Dam

They must have just finished the Googong spillway works in the nick of time!

Holden Caulfield11:11 am 05 Dec 10

georgesgenitals said :

Most of the people there were totally fine – being very careful and considerate. Just a few silly buggers.

How was that spillway though? The mist rising from the waterfall and the noise were really amazing.

It makes for a spectacular sight, that’s for sure.

Also, when you’re at the main viewing area for Googong, on the water side of the dam, the fact you could see water splashing up on the other side of the spillway was pretty amazing too. I don’t expect we’ll see that too often.

Holden Caulfield11:00 am 05 Dec 10

androo said :

Bendora Dam was in full force today, all five spillways dropping a deafening amount of water into the Cotter. Pics now in the RiotAct slideshow 🙂

Cool, I wasn’t aware that access to Bendora was possible. Do you need a 4WD or can any flashy hatchback make it?!

weather is all over the place, last night we had fog rolling in, canberra was warmed a bit by it – temp went up a couple of degrees. eerie outside, but it was 3am after all, and the souls out on the roads weren’t your usual drivers. reckon we will get more rain tonight, now really starting to behave like the tropics.

I was watching some of my local bogans having some fun driving a 4WD in a stormwater drain next to Isabella Drive this morning. They were towing one of their kids behind said 4WD on an inflated tyre tube. I was most pleased to see that they had given serious consideration to safety. Bogan child was wearning a helmet and life jacket! Piss funny 🙂

So what have your local bogans been doing in the rain ???

Bendora Dam was in full force today, all five spillways dropping a deafening amount of water into the Cotter. Pics now in the RiotAct slideshow 🙂

georgesgenitals7:31 pm 04 Dec 10

Also, we’ve just had another 32mm of rain in Queanbeyan, all coming up from the south. There should be even more water going over there tomorrow!

Don’t you just love the drought? I mean flood.

georgesgenitals7:30 pm 04 Dec 10

Holden Caulfield said :

georgesgenitals said :

I went and had a look at the Googong spillway this afternoon – wow! Be careful if you go to look, because there are lots of people out there, and not all of them understand the concept of drving carefully around groups of people, and not walking out in front of traffic without looking.

I had a gander too. And while I didn’t see too many dopes, it doesn’t surprise me. They should have been selling tickets today!

Most of the people there were totally fine – being very careful and considerate. Just a few silly buggers.

How was that spillway though? The mist rising from the waterfall and the noise were really amazing.

Holden Caulfield6:39 pm 04 Dec 10

georgesgenitals said :

I went and had a look at the Googong spillway this afternoon – wow! Be careful if you go to look, because there are lots of people out there, and not all of them understand the concept of drving carefully around groups of people, and not walking out in front of traffic without looking.

I had a gander too. And while I didn’t see too many dopes, it doesn’t surprise me. They should have been selling tickets today!

‘Oak before ash, you’re in for a splash;
Ash before oak, you’re in for a soak!’

I happened to notice that, this spring, my ash trees sprouted leaves well before the oaks behind my office building did, so perhaps there’s something in the old country saying . . . !

This is brilliant! This is one of those ‘catchup’ rainy summers. I just wish the Cotter or Tennent were complete.

As I have mentioned on the Riot before, ACTEW (Mark Sullivan) has previously stated that the expanded Cotter and other measures (pipelines etc) will only keep ACT’s water secure until 2035.
Given the drought patterns of the regions listed below, (as previously cited on this site), we are going to need yet another dam by 2035.

(Dates from Cedric Bryant’s ‘Gardening’ in CT Relax 31/10/2010):
1902
[probably other years need to be inserted here, but special mention to 1933 as we had very severe bush fires that year, indicating similar conditions to 2003]
1944
1957
1968
1982
(then, obviously 2003 to 2008/2009).

troll-sniffer6:18 pm 04 Dec 10

On my wee ride around the old LBG this mornin’ on the trusty treadlie I did percept that the level of LBG has been lowere to maybe 15-20cm lower than full. Rocks appeared next to the wall opposite the hospital, and as me and the pedals slunk delicately under the bridge it was evident from the gap between the high water mark and the current level that some serious lettin’ out of the water down at Scrivener has been taking place.

Reckon it’s either a flood mitigation strategy to give more leeway if the Molonglo upstream starts to really flood, or it might be a release of water to dilute our poo that we have sent down to the fortunate folks further down the Murrumbidgee.

Anyone with some real dinky di knowledge?

georgesgenitals4:53 pm 04 Dec 10

I went and had a look at the Googong spillway this afternoon – wow! Be careful if you go to look, because there are lots of people out there, and not all of them understand the concept of drving carefully around groups of people, and not walking out in front of traffic without looking.

What a sight!

I jogged past the new dam at Lyneham/Sullivan’s Ck yesterday afternoon. I had never ever seen the Ck break its banks before (Ive lived here for 25 years).

Does anyone know whether the wetland at Banksia St O’Connor spilled over the road??

kakosi said :

ACTEW have said they are keeping permanent water restrictions in the ACT.

It’s all a matter of perception – you keep restrictions and people will think that another drought is just around the corner and be willing to pay much more for a resource which is no longer scarce.

It’s also a matter of stupidity.
Brisbane’s dams were well past full a few months back. Every dam was open and emptying.
Yet people were still on water restrictions and not allowed to clean their patios, etc.

Holden Caulfield10:52 pm 03 Dec 10

Those pics of Sullivans Creek are amazing! Thanks to whoever it was that sent those in.

Holden Caulfield10:46 pm 03 Dec 10

Pommy bastard said :

Oh BTW, on teh way into work today there were three gates lowered on Scrivener dam, unfortunatly I didn’ty have my camera with me.

I got some pics this arvo, but only two gates were open at the time. Apparently a third may re-open tomorrow morning if required.

ACTEW have said they are keeping permanent water restrictions in the ACT. It’s all a matter of perception – you keep restrictions and people will think that another drought is just around the corner and be willing to pay much more for a resource which is no longer scarce.

Pommy bastard8:30 pm 03 Dec 10

Oh BTW, on teh way into work today there were three gates lowered on Scrivener dam, unfortunatly I didn’ty have my camera with me.

The car park was heaving with people (someone must have got a photo?) One old dear in a red ford lazer managed to clog up the whole parking area. She’d moved out of a space to get away, and refused to go back or forward until she had a clear way out, log-jamming the whole bloody parking place..

Woo Hoo – I did let a whoop out as I drove by the Parkway sign that said 100% tonight!

+1 CMDWedge

if we keep getting rain what number comes next and will they post it on the tally boards?

Pommy bastard8:26 pm 03 Dec 10

bitzermaloney said :

Also, nice weather for ducks. Explains the Australian cricket team.

S-n-u-u-u-rt!!!! Oh boy we’re they walloped today, bet they were wishing for rain…

creative_canberran said :

My thanks to the security folk at Cotter Dam who insisted on stopping every vehicle to ask what people were doing there.
Me: “just looking”
Gormless security guy: “well, you’re not supposed to. Go through!”

Did they take your sunscreen or life saving prescription drugs?

sid said :

Silly question, and slightly off topic – why can’t I ever see any of the slideshows on RA? Would love to see some of the photos of the floodwaters in this post but can’t see them on my work PC or Mac at home.

for this event, check http://picasaweb.google.com/johnboy73/2DecemberStorm#

creative_canberran5:23 pm 03 Dec 10

My thanks to the security folk at Cotter Dam who insisted on stopping every vehicle to ask what people were doing there.
Me: “just looking”
Gormless security guy: “well, you’re not supposed to. Go through!”

It’s flash coming from an external site. Suggest you check your security settings.

Silly question, and slightly off topic – why can’t I ever see any of the slideshows on RA? Would love to see some of the photos of the floodwaters in this post but can’t see them on my work PC or Mac at home.

MarkS said :

Water is now flowing down the Googong spillway. Dams are 100% full on an amazing and difficult day

when will prices go down?

georgesgenitals4:01 pm 03 Dec 10

MarkS said :

Water is now flowing down the Googong spillway. Dams are 100% full on an amazing and difficult day

Hi Mark – thanks for that. When will the dam capacity be updated on the ActewAGL website?

Good luck with everything that’s happening!

bitzermaloney4:01 pm 03 Dec 10

Also, nice weather for ducks. Explains the Australian cricket team.

bitzermaloney3:58 pm 03 Dec 10

So if it hits 101% does ACTEW think it’s overachieved?

amarooresident33:54 pm 03 Dec 10

Heh. Broad Majestic Sullivans. +1 for the Pogues reference.

Mark S? Oh THAT Mark S……

Enjoying a lovely ride in the rain this morn I happened upon a very fast moving fridge floating along the current past the hospice into the lake. Quite a sight.

I just drove past Kingston Foreshore and it looks like a war zone. So much debris in the water. Never seen it like that before.

MarkS said :

Water is now flowing down the Googong spillway. Dams are 100% full on an amazing and difficult day

Yeah! Saw the tweet just now. Finally.

Holden Caulfield12:42 pm 03 Dec 10

MarkS said :

Water is now flowing down the Googong spillway. Dams are 100% full on an amazing and difficult day

Was just about to post this!

Here is a link to your original the tweet.

Water is now flowing down the Googong spillway. Dams are 100% full on an amazing and difficult day

p1 said :

Busy days ahead for emergency services.

Bushfire risk is way down though. 🙂

Although if something does start up in the next month we’ll have a serious risk of getting bogged.

Yes, but in a month or too with all the new growth drying out it will probably be way up, it could also make next year interesting.

Captain RAAF said :

Poo water released…

Take that, Adelaide!

I don’t think it matters when there is probably a thousand times the amount going down the river.

I went out to Googong to try and have a look and I think the dam will be full with water going over the spillway sometime on the weekend if not today.

Shit happens

I had to say it. Sorry.

Captain RAAF11:19 am 03 Dec 10

Poo water released…

Take that, Adelaide!

Busy days ahead for emergency services.

Bushfire risk is way down though. 🙂

Although if something does start up in the next month we’ll have a serious risk of getting bogged.

If it buckets down again today we could start seeing some major infrastructure failures

Busy days ahead for emergency services.

…and the police too.

georgesgenitals11:13 am 03 Dec 10

Measures, duh.

georgesgenitals11:13 am 03 Dec 10

So, do we ever get to a point where permanent conservation keasures will be removed?

Never thought I’d see the day that we have 100%.

So… how long before ActewAGL increase their prices again?

I hear you there JohnBoy – I’m still fairly pissed at the BOM people I tell you. Another day like yesterday and I will simply have to sell these dogs off – collars, smell and all – as it appears they aren’t that interested in learning to swim.

On a brighter note however, I hear that NASA have discovered some bacteria living at the bottom of some desolete swamp. With a bit of a clean and wipe, I’m sure we could get them a job at the BOM!!!!

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