6 September 2010

Brown water flows

| johnboy
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uriarra crossing [Photo of Uriarra Crossing yesterday by Pommy Bastard]

Just in case you were thinking of popping into the Murrumbigee River for a swim today the Canberra Times warns that the Lower Molonglo Water Control Centre has been overflowing with all the water from Saturday’s storm and is pumping 1,000 litres of partially treated effluent a second into the wild.

Mr Glavas warned that no water should be taken from the Murrumbidgee River downstream of the junction of the Molonglo River and above Burrinjuck Reservoir until Wednesday.

He also said swimming and any other contact with the water should be avoided.

Fortunately the ACT takes it’s drinking water upstream of where it goes to the toilet.

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I’m sure the riverbank vegetation downstream will appreciate the extra nutrients.

And, while everyone else seems is sharing their photos of the brown water, here’s a photo I took on Saturday, of the creek that comes from the west at Uriarra Crossing. I don’t know how deep the water was, but it was moving rather quickly over Fairlight Rd. http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2558/rain017.jpg (That’s a “no parking” sign sticking out of the water..) http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/10/rain019.jpg

I hurried back over the crossing when I realised the river level was rising and starting to lap at the bridge.

Time for a Triathlon, anyone?

As wonderful as I’m sure being crushed against a bridge swimming in the pictured location would be, you could do it without getting a dose of poowater.
Uriarra Crossing is barely (but technically) upstream from the water treatment outflow.

But I guess fishing at Lake Burrinjuck is out of the question for a while?

Hmmmm, I’m thinking the towns and cities downstream from Canberra won’t be particularly thrilled by the news.

troll-sniffer10:14 am 06 Sep 10

Fortunately the ACT takes it’s drinking water upstream of where it goes to the toilet.

Fortunately the ACT takes its drinking water upstream of where it goes to the toilet.

C’mon johnboy, QC, QC…

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