5 November 2010

Too much water at the Cotter Dam

| johnboy
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The ABC informs us that the abundance of water is now getting in the way of expanding our water storage:

ACTEW managing director Mark Sullivan says there has been about 40 days of rain in the last three months.

That has caused the water level to rise significantly above the existing dam wall, and into a plunge pool below.

Mr Sullivan says work on the project will have to be stopped if there is heavy rain while the new dam floor is being built.

So I think we can now stop enjoying the rain.

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Mark Sullivan on 2CC’s gardening program stated that the expanded Cotter and other measures (pipelines etc) should keep ACT’s water secure until 2035.

Given this estimate, I sincerely hope ACTEW is planning to build the Tennent Dam in the very near future, as we a likely to experience drought at least once again before 2035 according to the previous rainfall patterns listed below (from Cedric Bryant’s ‘Gardening’ in CT Relax 31/10/2010):
1902
(probably others 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).

A pattern of drought averaging one every 15 years mean ACTEW really needs to pull their finger out and spend money on their raison d’etre, not wasteful spending of OUR MONEY on sponsorship or glossy mags.

To much? As in, cheers to much water at the Cotter Dam? Or is there too much water there?

OpenYourMind5:48 pm 05 Nov 10

There is something kind of ironic about it being 40 days (and perhaps nights?) of rain. But not Alana Morisette ironic like rain on your wedding day – that’s just sh1tty luck.

Jivrashia: What do you suggest, a giant tarpaulin over the construction site?

Heavy rain causing delays is a normal and expected part of construction projects. It’s factored in to the estimates.

Maybe they should build an ark instead of a dam.

creative_canberran4:05 pm 05 Nov 10

Jivrashia said :

You mean it didn’t cross their mind that the drought breaks?

Plan much ACTEW?

If they were planning properly, the dam would already by built and this rain would be captured.
If they were planning properly, they wouldn’t have built Googong Dam in a rain shadow, nor ignored warning as early as 1995 that a new dam would be needed within a decade.

Jivrashia said :

You mean it didn’t cross their mind that the drought breaks?

Plan much ACTEW?

Perhaps you could give the date it’ll stop raining so they can pencil in starting work again Jivrashai? Nearest day’ll do – we don’t need to go down to the hour. Thanks.

You mean it didn’t cross their mind that the drought breaks?

Plan much ACTEW?

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