Wivenhoe Dam 9th January 2011

On 9th January, myself, Shama and Steve went on a flood tour of SEQLD following some heavy rains. This is some footage I took at Wivenhoe with all 5 floodgates open. Heavy rainfall forecast for the days following.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• wivenhoe
• brisbane
• floods
• release

[orsanx]

This is simply not true blacknganga.

The highest the dam had been before this event was about 123% and that was following the heavy rain in December. They released water at rate designed not to cause significant flooding downstream in the week before this event and I believe at the time the heavy rainfall started the dam was only just over 100% FSL (which is the capacity they use for our water supply).

Had they followed release rates suggested by some we would have had flooding in October also.

[orsanx]

Fair call but my tour occurred on Saturday 8th, days before any major flooding occurred. As some one who closely monitored river levels in the days leading up to this I'm well aware of how exceeding dangerous it is to try and get around when rivers are in major flood. I would never put myself in a position where I get in the way of emergency workers or require their assistance.

[orsanx]

thanks guys. next plan is to hire a helicopter mid-week and take some footage of the flood zone from the air.

[revchess]

Thit's pritty epuc.

[ferral97]

that should be an olympic sport body board jumpin

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

"500 000 less megalitres would have lowered flood levels vastly."

No, it would not have done anything. At the height of the catchment inflows the dam was filling at 10% per hour. 500k less would have bought you roughly 45 minutes relief.

[blacknganga]

It has been reported that on the weekend prior to the flooding of Brisbane this year, Wivenhoe dam was holding approx 150% of it's full water supply volume. If this is true, then heads should role, as any fool can see that holding this much water as the rest of Queensland floods is tantamount to murder. Any fool should be able to see that approx. 80% would be a good volume, given the surety of inflows to the dam, maybe even less. 500 000 less megalitres would have lowered flood levels vastly.

[xDarkcynx]

pls next time there is a major flood pls pls pls dont go on a S.E qld flood trip ...........

you have no idea how bad gawkers and snapshot hunters made it to get around

:/

nevermind the emergency services getting hampered :/

[reversopantso]

@eckyspondoolie - no, not from those gates anyway, Wivenhoe does have hydroelectric generation capability tho. The water you're seeing there is floodwater being released, as the dam was over it's 100% drinking water capacity.

@cozzie49 - they were opened twice during Dec '10 and once during Oct '10 to release flood waters. Also, the lowest the dam has gotten was 15%.