Flood information - links

[ozbob]

Brisbane City Council --> Interim flood level maps - TLPI

[ozbob]

Huh?  I thought the wet was over ...

--> http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.shtml



BOM Radar 1350 hours 23 May 2011 http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.shtml

===========

Twitter

johnstonec
Storm bearing down. CBD from Newstead Riverpark http://yfrog.com/h7148zlj
19 minutes ago

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Ipswich flood victims on Struggle Street

Ipswich flood victims on Struggle Street

    by Michael Madigan
    From: The Courier-Mail
    August 01, 2011 12:00AM

RESIDENTS of Goodna, still struggling to find their feet more than six months after the January floods, want some practical solutions for dealing with the next deluge.

As the flood inquiry today hands down its interim report designed to help deal with the next wet season, Ipswich councillor Paul Tully said Goodna was still struggling to recover from the last one.

Improved flood warning systems, a dedicated police flood squad complete with jet skis, and practical steps to update Wivenhoe Dam flood releases were just some examples of a new approach that would better protect the vulnerable suburb.

"I really believe we also need the army back in Goodna to help in the reconstruction, otherwise it will be two years before we're back on track," Cr Tully said.

Resident Francisco Klobucar, who still lives in a 7m x 4m shed behind his ruined home, said the suburb faced enormous challenges. He said a handful of unscrupulous tradesmen were exploiting vulnerable residents while some absentee landlords were refusing to fix homes.

Struggling homeowners paying rent for temporary accommodation were also facing water and sewerage bills on homes they can't live in.

About 500 houses remain uninhabitable in the riverside suburb while interstate absentee landlords seem reluctant to fix rental properties.

Mr Klobucar is a gas fitter with skills he could use to help renovate his gutted home but, he said, "what about those who don't have those skills and the elderly who are left living in caravans? There are so many people in difficult situations. People not affected really don't know what's happening."

[justanotheruser]

I still don't understand why after building all this extra infrastructure to provide water why they don't use it and reduce the levels in wivenhoe alot further. That way the dam could be kept at 50% capacity (which is a quarter full realistically) then they would easily be able to manage releases during heavy rain.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Dam changes needed: flood inquiry

Couriermail --> Dam capacity 'will be reduced'

[ozbob]

http://www.floodcommission.qld.gov.au/media/queensland-floods-inquiry-interim-report-released

Queensland Floods Inquiry interim report released

01/08/2011

The Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry today provided an interim report on the 2010/2011 flood events to the Queensland Government.

The report can be viewed on the Commission's website.

The report examines a range issues relating to flood preparedness, and makes 175 recommendations focussed on changes which can be implemented before the next wet season.

The Inquiry is conducted by Commissioner, Justice Catherine Holmes, assisted by Deputy Commissioners Mr Jim O'Sullivan AC and Mr Phillip Cummins.

In the first round of public hearings, the Inquiry heard evidence from 167 witnesses and sat on 31 days in Brisbane, Toowoomba, Dalby, Goondiwindi, St George, Ipswich, Rockhampton and Emerald.

The Commission has also held community meetings and consultations in 13 locations in central and western Queensland, and the Lockyer Valley.

The final report is due to be provided to the Queensland Government by 24 February 2012, and will examine a range of issues in the Inquiry's terms of reference, with a particular focus on insurance and land planning.

Click --> here for interim report!

[Golliwog]

Anyone heard about when Campbell Newman is giving his response? ABC News 24 said they were expecting him sometime in the next few hours after Anna Bligh finished answering questions.

[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh
01/08/2011

Government will implement Commission recommendations in full to prepare for next wet season

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today received the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry Interim Report into the devastating January floods from Commissioner Justice Holmes.

"The memory of the events of last summer remain with me daily," Ms Bligh said.

"I wanted no stone left unturned when it came to examining the devastating chain of events and the aftermath of our tragic summer," the Premier said.

"Approximately 70 per cent of our state was flood affected and around 60 per cent of our population.

"In honour of those whose lives were lost, in honour of those whose lives were devastated, and in honour of every Queenslander who suffered, we must ensure we learn the lessons of this disaster so that we can protect future generations."

Today's report forensically examined the State's preparedness and response to the January floods to ensure that Queensland could be thoroughly prepared for the next wet season.

The Premier said the report made 175 recommendations - 104 of which apply to the State Government, 65 to local governments and six to the Commonwealth.

"We will pull out all stops to ensure every one of the recommendations for the Queensland Government is implemented, and I will make this my responsibility," Ms Bligh said.

"I will establish a dedicated unit within the Department of Premier and Cabinet to co-ordinate the response across a number of Government agencies."

Ms Bligh thanked the Commission which was headed by Supreme Court Judge Catherine Holmes with Deputy Commissioners former Police Commissioner Jim O'Sullivan and international dam expert Phil Cummins.

The Commission received more than 660 written public submissions and during the seven weeks of hearings heard evidence from 167 witnesses, with daily transcripts posted online within 24 hours.

In addition it considered thousands of pages of documents in preparing the report.

Ms Bligh said in January she gave an undertaking that the Inquiry would have the full powers of a Royal Commission so that the preparation and response to the floods could be thoroughly examined openly, transparently and honestly.

"We knew there would be some tough lessons that would come out of it, and the Commission has certainly made some sobering findings," she said.

Some of the Commission's recommendations include:

    The need for more clarity about the roles and responsibilities of each water entity and the role of the Minister, the need for a comprehensive review of the Wivenhoe manual, and in the event of bureau of meteorology advice indicating an extreme wet season, a reduction of the dam to 75 per cent capacity.
    Local government preparedness, including the need for strengthened evacuation planning and improved early warning systems.
    The need for single point tasking of emergency helicopter operations.
    Upgraded training of triple zero operators, swift water rescue and additional SES volunteers.

Ms Bligh said the Government had already taken steps to prepare for the next wet season.

"We committed $10 million in this year's budget for 17 new disaster response staff to ensure 24/7 watchdesk capacity at the State Disaster Coordination Centre, and extra regional staff for each of Emergency Management Queensland's seven regions.

"I will be writing to all Ministers and Director-Generals today and convening a State Disaster Management Group within the next 48 hours to begin the implementation of the recommendations of the report," Ms Bligh said.

"We owe it to those who've suffered to learn the lessons of our devastating summer so that we can stop it from happening again."

The Premier established the Inquiry on the 17th January 2010, after Queensland had been hit by the worst series of natural disasters in its history.

The Commission's second report is due on the 24th of February 2012, and will examine longer term issues such as town planning and insurance.

==============================================================

[ozbob]

Campbell Newman has just been interviewed on 612 ABC Brisbane radio.  Caught most of it, unfortunately he has a retrospectroscope on that seems to say the LNP and Labor all botched it ...

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Raise Wivenhoe Dam wall: Ipswich mayor

[somebody]

Campbell Newman has just been interviewed on 612 ABC Brisbane radio.  Caught most of it, unfortunately he has a retrospectroscope on that seems to say the LNP and Labor all botched it ...

I think he can say that Labor botched it.  Not sure if you remember, but around the time of the BoM briefing last year he got on TV and said "Brisbane will flood again".  Also, the public service wanted to drop Wivenhoe by 5% (better than nothing) but the minister scuttled these plans.

[Stillwater]

LNP lore:

Nationally -- elect us and we will stop the boats
Queensland -- elect us and we will stop the floods

Elect us and your food will taste better.
Elect us and you will have more money in the bank.
Elect us and your pets will be healthier.

I think I get the picture....

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Wivenhoe Dam capacity will be reduced, flood inquiry says

[Golliwog]

Campbell Newman has just been interviewed on 612 ABC Brisbane radio.  Caught most of it, unfortunately he has a retrospectroscope on that seems to say the LNP and Labor all botched it ...

Have they posted it online anywhere? I caught only the end of his interview on ABC 24. Did see him say "If I was Premier during the floods, I would have ordered water released sooner"

I was under the impression that yes 59% of the flood water came through Wivenhoe, but that most of that was released after the peak.

[ozbob]

Twitter

TheQldPremier Premier Anna Bligh
VIDEO: A message from the Premier about the QLD Floods Commission of Inquiry's interim report http://ow.ly/5ROIJ Prem_Team
14 minutes ago

[justanotheruser]

Campbell Newman has just been interviewed on 612 ABC Brisbane radio.  Caught most of it, unfortunately he has a retrospectroscope on that seems to say the LNP and Labor all botched it ...

Have they posted it online anywhere? I caught only the end of his interview on ABC 24. Did see him say "If I was Premier during the floods, I would have ordered water released sooner"

I was under the impression that yes 59% of the flood water came through Wivenhoe, but that most of that was released after the peak.

This is interesting when one considers that a interstate dam expert (from sydney warragamba dam IIRC) said that if releases were made sooner then it would have been better for brisbane but worse for ipswich. I wonder if he was talking in his previous role as mayor of brisbane? I couldn't find any reference to this comment in the report but I do know it was part of the submission made.

[Golliwog]

The alternative is he was talking about dropping it back before January which would have given them a little capacity to play with, but again, most of the peak was from the water through Lockyer Valley and Bremer River. Flows from Wivenhoe did constitute a large part of it but was more of a big baseflow than actual big flood thanks to the dam.

Ok, I just had a look at the flows from a lecture I attended last week and there was one big peak in the outflow from the dam due to the 2nd 1 in 100 year inflow which only appearred on the forecasts given to the dam roughly 5 hours before they increased their outflows, and even then the 2nd rainfall event was not predicted to be as big as the first (it was).

Again, looking back with 20/20 hindsight, having dropped the dam level before hand may have helped but that would have only reduced the flows from Wivenhoe which was only part of the problem. I feel comments like Mr Newman saying if he was in power he would have reduced the dam level (I will give him the point that he did aruge for it back then) are nothing more than turning this event into a political point scoring match and are most certainly unhelpful and uncalled for.

Let him also ignore the fact that this whole event was something the effected much more than just Brisbane and Ipswich, and that while BoM did predict a very wet summer, I do not think that even they thought anything like what happened was possible. I am more than happy with how the authorities acted and worked with the community (even that cop manning the 000 phone line who had a go at that woman - try telling anyone last year that Toowoomba, on top of a mountain range, could flood like it did and not have them tell you you're dreaming - so I forgive him for thinking her running into water wasn't such a big deal) and think they did the best they could. I have nothing but praise for them.

[ozbob]

Well said Golli.  Newman is overlooking the fact that the LNP were actually calling for Wivenhoe to be increased (to 150% I seem to recall) not lowered.  There has been some expectation that Newman might well 'blow up' in a political sense, this might be it.  After the interview on 612 ABC Radio yesterday I noted that the callers were not very impressed with Newman's attacks and when Newman was confronted with the point the LNP were actually calling for dam increases was not able to answer other than to say ' if he was Premier he would have acted '.  Acted? And the advice from the dam people, hydrologists etc was do what they did for an overall best outcome.  Newman has tanked on this I am afraid ...

Meanwhile the Couriermail publishes a story that conveniently leaves out the fact the LNP were calling for dam increases, not releases ....

From the Couriermail click here!

Campbell Newman takes aim over dam level inaction

Campbell Newman takes aim over dam level inaction

    Sarah Vogler
    From: The Courier-Mail
    August 02, 2011 12:00AM

SERIOUS questions need to be answered regarding why the State Government did not act to reduce Wivenhoe Dam prior to the floods, the State Opposition says.

LNP Leader Campbell Newman yesterday claimed that if he had been running the state leading up to the Queensland's worst flood disaster he would have lowered the dam level following forecasts about the record wet season ahead.

"The Premier undertook a press conference where she had the Bureau of Meteorology brief from Cabinet on the wet season," Mr Newman said.

"Armed with the information they had, why didn't they do something about the management of Wivenhoe Dam?"

Mr Newman said if the LNP won the next election it would look at a number of issues, including raising Wivenhoe Dam to increase its flood mitigation capacity.

The inquiry's interim report has recommended councils update disaster management processes and improve communication, warning systems and evacuation processes in the lead up to the next wet season to ensure communities are better prepared for the worst.

Lockyer Valley Mayor Steve Jones yesterday said he did not believe any amount of disaster preparedness would have changed the horrific outcome of the floods in Murphys Creek and Grantham.

"What happened on this occasion was an extreme event," Cr Jones said.

But he accepted the inquiry's recommendations and would be working to implement them as best as his council could.

He urged State and Federal governments to help his council implement some of the recommendations, saying it just did not have the finances to do them all on its own.

"To clean the creek up . . . to do that properly from the headwaters of the creek right through to our shire boundary is probably $7 to $10 million worth of work," Cr Jones said.

"This council can't do it because we have had all our resources stretched to the absolute limit.

"There is a lot to do and a lot of expenditure involved in doing it and what a lot of it will come down to is money."

Local Government Association of Queensland president Paul Bell said LGAQ senior officers had met Acting Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, Department of Community Safety director-general Jim McGowan and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner Lee Johnson to discuss improving disaster management systems and all had committed themselves to coming up with an improved process by the end of October.

"We look forward to working closely with Premier Anna Bligh and her office to make sure any reforms that are needed are introduced in time for the next wet season," he said.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale yesterday urged the Government to look to Wivenhoe Dam for flood mitigation only.

"I don't think anybody was really ready for a flood of this magnitude and no one ever thought this sort of flood would happen again," he said.

"Well it has and it's taught us an awful lesson."

He said it was easy to say with hindsight that the State should have released water in the lead-up to the wet season.

[ozbob]

A bit more balance at the Brisbanetimes ...

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Minister's dam decisions damned

Minister's dam decisions damned
Daniel Hurst
August 2, 2011

The minister who chose not to lower the Wivenhoe Dam level late last year failed to tell anyone about his decision, the flood inquiry has found.

Then Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson also did not make any record of his decision, apparently reached the month before the January floods hit Brisbane and Ipswich, according the inquiry's interim report, released yesterday.

The $15 million commission's first report was focused on actions that could be taken to reduce flood risks ahead of the next wet season, but also found fault with state decision-making processes.

The commission, headed by Court of Appeal judge Catherine Holmes, called for an overhaul of the manual that guides water releases from major dams as one of its 175 recommendations.

Wivenhoe Dam's level should be dropped to 75 per cent of its drinking water capacity if the Bureau of Meteorology predicts a heavy wet season similar to last one, the commission said.

Yesterday's report noted that Mr Robertson, currently Energy and Water Utilities Minister, looked at lowering the dam level last year amid dire bureau warnings about an unprecedented wet season.

Following an October cabinet briefing, Mr Robertson wrote to the Water Grid Manager seeking urgent advice on reducing the levels of key dams to be ready for major inflows.

Mr Robertson told the inquiry he decided not to proceed with the idea after a December 13 briefing from the state agency's board, which advised him a minor reduction was possible but would not have a major impact on flood levels.

"There is no record of the Minister's having made this decision or telling anyone about it – then or at any time," the commission's report stated.

"He said in evidence that he 'would have' discussed this matter with his Director-General, but this possibility was not raised in his witness statement.

"His Director-General, John Bradley, could not confirm that the Minister made this decision on that day, or at all."

The report found that state-owned water agencies and the Department of Environment and Resource Management were confused about their responsibilities regarding temporary reductions to normal dam levels.

"The Minister did nothing to resolve this confusion," the report said.

The commission sought to tackle this confusion by recommending which agencies should be asked for advice when making a decision about temporarily reducing dam supply levels.

It called for regulations to be simplified to make it easier for the responsible minister to make short-term changes to the dam level, noting that it was ultimately up to the minister.

State Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman said yesterday's report painted a "concerning" picture of the interactions between Mr Robertson's office, his department and state dam owner Seqwater.

He accused Mr Robertson of failing to show leadership, saying when advice was ambiguous it was time for leaders to step up to the plate.

"Had I been the premier at the time, we would have acted, we would have drawn the dam down," said Mr Newman, who earlier this year called for Mr Robertson's dumping.

Mr Robertson, due to retire from politics at the next state election, could not be reached for comment yesterday, with his media advisers failing to return calls.

But Premier Anna Bligh said her minister took responsibility and sought advice on whether the dam level should be reduced last year.

Ms Bligh said this was contrary to calls by the state opposition at the time to actually increase Wivenhoe Dam's drinking water storage levels.

Mr Newman said he did not agree with his opposition colleagues who made the comments last year.

Written advice sent to Mr Robertson on Christmas Eve suggested that Seqwater had no objection to drawing down Wivenhoe and Somerset dams to 95 per cent of their full supply level, but it would have a "negligible" effect on preventing impacts from major downpours.

Wivenhoe Dam can hold 2.6 million megalitres but is deemed to be "full" of drinking water when it reaches 1.15 million megalitres.

The remaining space is used to store water from heavy rain events in a bid to reduce floods along the Brisbane River.

The commission said subsequent modelling by Seqwater suggested peak outflows from Wivenhoe Dam during the January flood could have been 45 per cent lower if the dam had been drawn down to 75 per cent of its full supply level in advance.

The report called for the dam to be dropped to 75 per cent for the 2011/12 wet season, but only if the bureau made a forecast of similar conditions to the last wet season, "expressed with equal or greater confidence".

The commission also found that Seqwater made a "technical" breach of the legal dam manual that guided water releases because one of the flood engineers was not registered with the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland during the last wet season.

However, it said there was no evidence the registration lapsing had any effect on the operation of the dams.

The commission called for the dam manual to be reviewed, saying the twin goals of retaining water storage at full supply level and reducing flood risks did not sit comfortably together.

It said the engineers failed to give more weight to rainfall forecasts when predicting the dam level and devising release strategies, which could be considered a breach of the Wivenhoe manual.

However, it said the engineers acted in the honest belief the manual did not compel a choice of strategy on forecast rainfall, while specific predictions lacked reliability.

It recommended better training for engineers in charge of the dam during flood events.

Seqwater was yet to comment on the findings yesterday.

Ms Bligh yesterday promised to implement all of the recommendations related to the state government, saying she would provide a formal response to State Parliament within weeks.

Ms Bligh said everybody, including her ministers, would act differently with the benefit of hindsight.

"I'm not surprised that there are things we can do better," she said.

"We would be foolish to think we would go through a disaster of that magnitude and not learn from it."

The commission's full report is due to be handed over early next year. Further hearings to be held in September and October will focus on insurance and land planning issues.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/ministers-dam-decisions-damned-20110801-1i81m.html

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Mayors pleased with flood inquiry's verdict

[ozbob]

Energy and Water Utilities
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
02/08/2011

Investigation to begin into raising Wivenhoe Dam walls

Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Stephen Robertson has asked his key water agencies, including Seqwater, to accelerate the recommendations contained in the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry Interim Report, handed down yesterday.

In addition, Mr Robertson has instructed his department to fast-track an investigation into raising the Wivenhoe Dam walls to increase the flood mitigation buffer.

"I have instructed my department to make this issue their top priority," Mr Robertson said.

"This investigation will involve all the relevant water agencies such as Seqwater and the Queensland Water Commission."

Mr Robertson said he accepted the findings and recommendations in the interim report and that the State Government can do things better in the future.

"We will implement all of these findings including reducing Wivenhoe Dam's full supply level to 75 percent of current design capacity if the Bureau of Meteorology provides advice, in the lead up to a wet season, that similar rainfall levels to last wet season are expected.

"We will also legislate to ensure there is greater clarity and understanding about whose role it is to undertake certain actions in relation to our dams in times of heavy rainfall.

"In relation to the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam, Seqwater is already reviewing this manual in line with the recommendations in the Commission's report."

Key initiatives already underway by Seqwater include:

·Establishment of a new Flood Operation Centre which became fully operational last month

·Recruitment of additional duty engineers and flood officers

·Investigations into increasing the number of rainfall gauges in the catchment to enhance data collection

·Technical reviews including investigating enhanced modelling of major rainfall and flooding events

·Training programs to reflect a potential change in Wivenhoe Dam's full supply level ahead of the coming wet season.

Mr Robertson said the January floods were an unprecedented rain event with 2.6 million megalitres falling into the dam catchment - twice as much as in the 74 floods.

"We wanted to know that our dams were working properly and that is why the Premier made a commitment that no stone would be left unturned and the Commission of Inquiry was established," he said.

"We wanted frank and fearless advice and we will not back away from these findings.

"The State Government will be in a much stronger position going into the next wet season.

"The Commission's interim report will act as a blueprint to ensure that we are better prepared for the next wet season, and work has already begun.

"We will provide the necessary support and resources required to implement these recommendations before the next wet season."

[somebody]

Newman is overlooking the fact that the LNP were actually calling for Wivenhoe to be increased (to 150% I seem to recall) not lowered. 

Did this occur before Newman was part of the party?  It's a bit rough to blame Newman for that.  Perhaps you are blaming the LNP.  I don't remember this one.

while BoM did predict a very wet summer, I do not think that even they thought anything like what happened was possible.

Not sure how you can say this.  What should BoM have done which they didn't do if they expected what happened?  Given that there was an unprecendented briefing of cabinet, it is clear that they expected an unprecendented level of rain this summer.

Again, looking back with 20/20 hindsight, having dropped the dam level before hand may have helped but that would have only reduced the flows from Wivenhoe which was only part of the problem. I feel comments like Mr Newman saying if he was in power he would have reduced the dam level (I will give him the point that he did aruge for it back then) are nothing more than turning this event into a political point scoring match and are most certainly unhelpful and uncalled for.

This ignores that many people were predicting flooding this summer, with no dissenters that I am aware of.

It goes against the QLD culture to pre-emptively act before a problem occurs.  I'm sorry.  You see the same behaviour in the transport planning.

[justanotheruser]

Well said Golli.  Newman is overlooking the fact that the LNP were actually calling for Wivenhoe to be increased (to 150% I seem to recall) not lowered.  There has been some expectation that Newman might well 'blow up' in a political sense, this might be it.  After the interview on 612 ABC Radio yesterday I noted that the callers were not very impressed with Newman's attacks and when Newman was confronted with the point the LNP were actually calling for dam increases was not able to answer other than to say ' if he was Premier he would have acted '.  Acted? And the advice from the dam people, hydrologists etc was do what they did for an overall best outcome.  Newman has tanked on this I am afraid ...

Meanwhile the Couriermail publishes a story that conveniently leaves out the fact the LNP were calling for dam increases, not releases ....

From the Couriermail click here!

Campbell Newman takes aim over dam level inaction

Campbell Newman takes aim over dam level inaction

    Sarah Vogler
    From: The Courier-Mail
    August 02, 2011 12:00AM

SERIOUS questions need to be answered regarding why the State Government did not act to reduce Wivenhoe Dam prior to the floods, the State Opposition says.

LNP Leader Campbell Newman yesterday claimed that if he had been running the state leading up to the Queensland's worst flood disaster he would have lowered the dam level following forecasts about the record wet season ahead.

"The Premier undertook a press conference where she had the Bureau of Meteorology brief from Cabinet on the wet season," Mr Newman said.

"Armed with the information they had, why didn't they do something about the management of Wivenhoe Dam?"

Mr Newman said if the LNP won the next election it would look at a number of issues, including raising Wivenhoe Dam to increase its flood mitigation capacity.

The inquiry's interim report has recommended councils update disaster management processes and improve communication, warning systems and evacuation processes in the lead up to the next wet season to ensure communities are better prepared for the worst.

Lockyer Valley Mayor Steve Jones yesterday said he did not believe any amount of disaster preparedness would have changed the horrific outcome of the floods in Murphys Creek and Grantham.

"What happened on this occasion was an extreme event," Cr Jones said.

But he accepted the inquiry's recommendations and would be working to implement them as best as his council could.

He urged State and Federal governments to help his council implement some of the recommendations, saying it just did not have the finances to do them all on its own.

"To clean the creek up . . . to do that properly from the headwaters of the creek right through to our shire boundary is probably $7 to $10 million worth of work," Cr Jones said.

"This council can't do it because we have had all our resources stretched to the absolute limit.

"There is a lot to do and a lot of expenditure involved in doing it and what a lot of it will come down to is money."

Local Government Association of Queensland president Paul Bell said LGAQ senior officers had met Acting Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, Department of Community Safety director-general Jim McGowan and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner Lee Johnson to discuss improving disaster management systems and all had committed themselves to coming up with an improved process by the end of October.

"We look forward to working closely with Premier Anna Bligh and her office to make sure any reforms that are needed are introduced in time for the next wet season," he said.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale yesterday urged the Government to look to Wivenhoe Dam for flood mitigation only.

"I don't think anybody was really ready for a flood of this magnitude and no one ever thought this sort of flood would happen again," he said.

"Well it has and it's taught us an awful lesson."

He said it was easy to say with hindsight that the State should have released water in the lead-up to the wet season.

The emphasized part is the key. As much as I don't really like Paul Pisasale he has got this right. We now have numerous other water supply solutions including the water grid to ship water around the state, desalination plants & water recycling facilities. We can drop wivenhoe down to half the water supply level and that would have prevented much of the release of water. There still would have been flooding as around 40% of the flood water fell below the dams. it just would not have been as severe although still tragic for people affected.

[Stillwater]

Campbell Newman would tell you that your children will grow to become Olympic champions if he thought it would garner a vote.  We need less of the politics around these things, and infrastructure in particular.  We need more of the detailed planning and analysis surrounding these things so everyone is better informed.  Governments are not in the mood, as we can see from the fact that IA says there is not one major project in Queensland that is at a stage where it can consider funding one. (the CRR being the closest, and then only after the federal government handed over the money for the feasibility study.  Where would be be if that were not the case?)

Maybe some private benefactor with deep pockets could fund at one of the universities a 'centre for strategic infrastructure investment' that would do a lot of the planning work that the government can't or won't.  My tip is that the government would object to such a centre, because it would feel it was losing control.

[somebody]

Campbell Newman would tell you that your children will grow to become Olympic champions if he thought it would garner a vote.  We need less of the politics around these things, and infrastructure in particular.  We need more of the detailed planning and analysis surrounding these things so everyone is better informed.  Governments are not in the mood, as we can see from the fact that IA says there is not one major project in Queensland that is at a stage where it can consider funding one. (the CRR being the closest, and then only after the federal government handed over the money for the feasibility study.  Where would be be if that were not the case?)

Maybe some private benefactor with deep pockets could fund at one of the universities a 'centre for strategic infrastructure investment' that would do a lot of the planning work that the government can't or won't.  My tip is that the government would object to such a centre, because it would feel it was losing control.

I would say that the reason he wanted to run for premier is that he believed that the government dropped the ball on flood readiness in the second half of last year.

[somebody]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/minister-asked-question-but-failed-to-reveal-his-answer-20110801-1i81m.html

Minister asked question but failed to reveal his answer
Daniel Hurst and Marissa Calligeros
August 2, 2011

Water Minister Stephen Roberston has defended criticism of his decision not to release water from Wivenhoe Dam ahead of the Brisbane flood, saying he was the only person to ask the question.

Mr Robertson, who is due to retire from politics at the next state election, told 612 ABC Radio last night he believed he ''did his job'' as then-natural resources minister in asking whether the dam level should have been reduced ahead of the forecast bumper wet season.

''When it comes to who was asking the fundamental question as to whether dam levels should be lowered or not, I was the only person who was asking that question, not Seqwater, not the Water Grid manager, not the opposition,'' he said.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Stephen Robertson pictured after giving evidence at the flood commission hearing.

Stephen Robertson pictured after giving evidence at the flood commission hearing. Photo: Glen Hunt

''With the benefit of hindsight, would I have made other decisions based on the information that we now know? Well, of course.''

The flood inquiry's interim report released yesterday found Mr Robertson chose not to lower the Wivenhoe Dam level late last year, but failed to tell anyone about his decision.

Mr Robertson also did not make any record of his decision, apparently reached the month before the January floods hit Brisbane and Ipswich, according the inquiry's interim report released yesterday.

The report found that state-owned water agencies and the Department of Environment and Resource Management were confused about their responsibilities regarding temporary reductions to normal dam levels.

Mr Robertson said he accepted that he did not act appropriately to resolve the confusion, but said it was ''understandable'' in the circumstances.

''This was a request without precedent. At no time in the history of Seqwater, or since the Wivenhoe Dam was constructed, has any minister contemplated a reduction in the volume of the dams,'' he told 612 ABC.

''So to some extent it is understandable that there was a level of uncertainty about who was responsible for what in responding to my request for consideration of the lowering of dam levels, but that does not excuse anyone, myself included, from appropriate scrutiny. We should all learn from this ...

''The important thing was in terms of my responsibilities as Minister for Natural Resources at the time was that I did ask the question. Nobody else asked that question as to whether dam levels should be reduced or not.

''I believe I did my job and I acted on the advice from my agencies as it was provided to me. Was it the best advice, well I accept that finding from the commission that it wasn't the best advice.''

The $15 million commission's first report was focused on actions that could be taken to reduce flood risks ahead of the next wet season, but also found fault with state decision-making processes.

The commission, headed by Court of Appeal judge Catherine Holmes, called for an overhaul of the manual that guides water releases from major dams as one of its 175 recommendations.

Wivenhoe Dam's level should be dropped to 75 per cent of its drinking water capacity if the Bureau of Meteorology predicts a heavy wet season similar to last one, the commission said.

Yesterday's report noted that Mr Robertson, currently Energy and Water Utilities Minister, looked at lowering the dam level last year amid dire bureau warnings about an unprecedented wet season.

Following an October cabinet briefing, Mr Robertson wrote to the Water Grid Manager seeking urgent advice on reducing the levels of key dams to be ready for major inflows.

Mr Robertson told the inquiry he decided not to proceed with the idea after a December 13 briefing from the state agency's board, which advised him a minor reduction was possible but would not have a major impact on flood levels.

"There is no record of the Minister's having made this decision or telling anyone about it – then or at any time," the commission's report stated.

"He said in evidence that he 'would have' discussed this matter with his Director-General, but this possibility was not raised in his witness statement.

"His Director-General, John Bradley, could not confirm that the Minister made this decision on that day, or at all."

The report found that state-owned water agencies and the Department of Environment and Resource Management were confused about their responsibilities regarding temporary reductions to normal dam levels.

"The Minister did nothing to resolve this confusion," the report said.

The commission sought to tackle this confusion by recommending which agencies should be asked for advice when making a decision about temporarily reducing dam supply levels.

It called for regulations to be simplified to make it easier for the responsible minister to make short-term changes to the dam level, noting that it was ultimately up to the minister.

State Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman said yesterday's report painted a "concerning" picture of the interactions between Mr Robertson's office, his department and state dam owner Seqwater.

He accused Mr Robertson of failing to show leadership, saying when advice was ambiguous it was time for leaders to step up to the plate.

"Had I been the premier at the time, we would have acted, we would have drawn the dam down," said Mr Newman, who earlier this year called for Mr Robertson's dumping.

Premier Anna Bligh said her minister took responsibility and sought advice on whether the dam level should be reduced last year.

Ms Bligh said this was contrary to calls by the state opposition at the time to actually increase Wivenhoe Dam's drinking water storage levels.

Mr Newman said he did not agree with his opposition colleagues who made the comments last year.

Written advice sent to Mr Robertson on Christmas Eve suggested that Seqwater had no objection to drawing down Wivenhoe and Somerset dams to 95 per cent of their full supply level, but it would have a "negligible" effect on preventing impacts from major downpours.

Wivenhoe Dam can hold 2.6 million megalitres but is deemed to be "full" of drinking water when it reaches 1.15 million megalitres.

The remaining space is used to store water from heavy rain events in a bid to reduce floods along the Brisbane River.

The commission said subsequent modelling by Seqwater suggested peak outflows from Wivenhoe Dam during the January flood could have been 45 per cent lower if the dam had been drawn down to 75 per cent of its full supply level in advance.

The report called for the dam to be dropped to 75 per cent for the 2011/12 wet season, but only if the bureau made a forecast of similar conditions to the last wet season, "expressed with equal or greater confidence".

The commission also found that Seqwater made a "technical" breach of the legal dam manual that guided water releases because one of the flood engineers was not registered with the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland during the last wet season.

However, it said there was no evidence the registration lapsing had any effect on the operation of the dams.

The commission called for the dam manual to be reviewed, saying the twin goals of retaining water storage at full supply level and reducing flood risks did not sit comfortably together.

It said the engineers failed to give more weight to rainfall forecasts when predicting the dam level and devising release strategies, which could be considered a breach of the Wivenhoe manual.

However, it said the engineers acted in the honest belief the manual did not compel a choice of strategy on forecast rainfall, while specific predictions lacked reliability.

It recommended better training for engineers in charge of the dam during flood events.

Seqwater was yet to comment on the findings yesterday.

Ms Bligh yesterday promised to implement all of the recommendations related to the state government, saying she would provide a formal response to State Parliament within weeks.

Ms Bligh said everybody, including her ministers, would act differently with the benefit of hindsight.

"I'm not surprised that there are things we can do better," she said.

"We would be foolish to think we would go through a disaster of that magnitude and not learn from it."

The commission's full report is due to be handed over early next year. Further hearings to be held in September and October will focus on insurance and land planning issues.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/minister-asked-question-but-failed-to-reveal-his-answer-20110801-1i81m.html#ixzz1Tpa6C9mw

He has a point here.  I had thought it was the other way around.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Newman kept dam desire 'secret'

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier and Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State
The Honourable Paul Lucas
02/08/2011

Newman and Seeney must answer questions on floods

Both Campbell Newman and Jeff Seeney need to explain their public differences over the response to the Brisbane floods that devastated South East Queensland earlier this year.

Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said Campbell Newman's public statements yesterday that he wanted to see water released from Wivenhoe Dam in the lead up to the floods was completely at odds with Jeff Seeney's public and dangerous calls for water levels to be increased.

"Campbell Newman parades around the country side proclaiming to be a 'straight talker'," Mr Lucas said.

"How can he possibly expect the public to believe that he took a view that dam levels should be reduced, then kept that view to himself?

"At the very same time he claims he was saying this, Jeff Seeney was in the Parliament and in the media wanting the dams even higher which is something that could have had catastrophic consequences.

"The floods that hit our state in January this year, were the wor st natural disaster in our state's history.

"Does Mr Newman seriously think that the public will believe that the day after the Commission released the report, all of a sudden it was time for him to say that he had a different view last year?"

Mr Lucas said both Mr Newman and Mr Seeney had serious explaining to do and questions to answer.

"Who did Mr Newman tell of his view last year? What steps did he take previously when he was on the board of South East Queensland Water?

"When did Mr Newman first raise the matter with Mr Seeney? Was it last year when Mr Seeney said the opposite in the public? Or did Mr Seeney find out yesterday after Mr Newman's press conference?

"Either way, on the most important public policy issue in 30 years, Mr Seeney and Mr Newman are totally at odds.

"How can Campbell Newman have any support or confidence in the Leader of the Opposition?

"Mr Seeney is being trashed by Campbell Newman, just for a cheap line.

"Mr Seeney needs to stands up to Campbell Newman and make him stop dictating retrospective policy from outside Parliament."

[somebody]

Brisbanetimes --> Newman kept dam desire 'secret'

From the above article:

Former Brisbane lord mayor Campbell Newman should have spoken up about his "secret" desire to drain the Wivenhoe Dam last year, the Bligh Government says.

If he had done that in so many words, they would have said to mind his own business.

I'm not buying this criticism.  Googling brings up a number of articles from last year, for example: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/lord-mayor-campbell-newman-warns-brisbane-residents-of-holiday-floods/comments-e6freoof-1225971757071

[O_128]

FFS, A flood is a NATURAL disaster, To all the battlers out there who think that this was some kind of plot need to get over themselves.  Fact is it was decided not to lower the damn levels THE END get on with your lives, And while I feel for the people with no insurance and especially the ones that arent getting payouts thats not my problem, you should have had insurance and looked at the flood plains before you brought your house.

[ozbob]

I'm not buying this criticism.  Googling brings up a number of articles from last year, for example: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/lord-mayor-campbell-newman-warns-brisbane-residents-of-holiday-floods/comments-e6freoof-1225971757071

Both Newman and Bligh expressed concerns.  If Newman was so convinced he should have argued much more forceably from his point of view as a civil engineer.

Frankly, Newman has blown it with cheap political shots.  I challenged  the BCC a number of years ago now as to why they allowed residential developments on flood plains, only to be fobbed off.  For those of us who were resident in Brisbane in 1974 it was very clear what would happen and as the weather deteriorated late last year early January this year there was little doubt that another flood was on the way.  Guess what?  Brisbane is on a flood plain, and it could flood again this year or perhaps not for another 40 years, but it will flood again.  Wivenhoe will not stop it.

[somebody]

FFS, A flood is a NATURAL disaster,

And man made incompetence caused us to be in the path of it.

get on with your lives,

Hopefully not in Brisbane.

If Newman was so convinced he should have argued much more forceably from his point of view as a civil engineer.

I don't agree.  It was clear (to me at least) in 2010 that he felt there was a significant risk, not being adequately addressed by the state.

[Golliwog]

Newman is overlooking the fact that the LNP were actually calling for Wivenhoe to be increased (to 150% I seem to recall) not lowered. 

Did this occur before Newman was part of the party?  It's a bit rough to blame Newman for that.  Perhaps you are blaming the LNP.  I don't remember this one.

while BoM did predict a very wet summer, I do not think that even they thought anything like what happened was possible.

Not sure how you can say this.  What should BoM have done which they didn't do if they expected what happened?  Given that there was an unprecendented briefing of cabinet, it is clear that they expected an unprecendented level of rain this summer.

Again, looking back with 20/20 hindsight, having dropped the dam level before hand may have helped but that would have only reduced the flows from Wivenhoe which was only part of the problem. I feel comments like Mr Newman saying if he was in power he would have reduced the dam level (I will give him the point that he did aruge for it back then) are nothing more than turning this event into a political point scoring match and are most certainly unhelpful and uncalled for.

This ignores that many people were predicting flooding this summer, with no dissenters that I am aware of.

It goes against the QLD culture to pre-emptively act before a problem occurs.  I'm sorry.  You see the same behaviour in the transport planning.

I don't think anyone blames Newman for what his party said and did when he wasn't their leader, but that is still what they said and did.

Theres nothing I expected BoM to do which they didn't do, but it still remains that weather forecasts are still not overly accurate. Yes they are very important but are still never fully accurate. I do not think anyone at the BoM foresaw the rain events they predicted leading to the inflows into Wivenhoe Dam twice exceeding 10,000m3/second in 48 hours. Why do you think when asked about lowering the dam water levels they looked at only 5%? They figured they would be flooding, but it was simply the magnitude that had everyone stunned. Even the 25% now agreed upon would have only dropped the flood peak by half (IIRC).

[ozbob]

BUT he (Newman) was the Lord Mayor of a council that permits residential developments on flood plains??

Has anyone heard from Seeney?  LOL

The opposition is the major reason the Government is so inept ...  

[O_128]

BUT he (Newman) was the Lord Mayor of a council that permits residential developments on flood plains??

Has anyone heard from Seeney?  LOL

The opposition is the major reason the Government is so inept ...  

I dont agree Ozbob, The council of brisbane itself has is pretty much all developed and the areas that were flooded have been so for many years.

Newman Created the flood level maps for BCC, He started the buy back scheme and was also extremely concerned and was telling people to be prepared for flooding in october, We can see the river from our house yet thankfully live on a hill and I said to one of the older people at our house on christmas how high the river was and that it will flood only to be laughed at by them all and be told thats why wivenhoe is there.

The people having a cry don't realise that if nothing was done at all and the dam had burst it could have been a lot worse. Im honestly sick and tired of people blaming both parties for the disaster, both did the best they could in the circumstances. Campbell said after toowoomba was hit and or brisbane to prepare itself yet people don't remember that, was he expected to stand in the river and halt the water?  

[somebody]

I do not think anyone at the BoM foresaw the rain events they predicted leading to the inflows into Wivenhoe Dam twice exceeding 10,000m3/second in 48 hours.

On that point I can agree.  The forecasts could not have been that detailed.  Devastating flooding?  I think they expected that was likely.

Why do you think when asked about lowering the dam water levels they looked at only 5%?

Because they didn't want to let the water go with the drought still in their minds, it seems.

BUT he (Newman) was the Lord Mayor of a council that permits residential developments on flood plains??

Indeed.  Although all of Brisbane (more or less) is a flood plain.  I'm not sure if Newman did anything to change policies on this one.  O_128 appears to have answered this one.

If people were informed about the risks and still wanted to build that would be one thing, but it seems that the information wasn't as good as it could have been.  Some of this appears to be state's fault.  Did they tell the council before the flood that they expected to be able flow 4000m^3/s down the Brisbane River without damaging anything?  A bit hard for council to hit a target if they aren't shown it.

[ozbob]

I dont agree Ozbob, The council of brisbane itself has is pretty much all developed and the areas that were flooded have been so for many years.

crap, been down to Windamere for example?   This was the very estate I challenged them on.  This general area was a dairy farm, remarkable in that it was a working dairy farm right in the urban footprint.  The reason it wasn't developed was that is a known flood plain.  BCC saw differently.

[somebody]

been down to Windamere for example?   This was the very estate I challenged them on.

Where's that?  Is there a spelling mistake?

It is clear that houses were built in flood prone places where they weren't in 1974.  I think about 4x the number of houses were flooded this time around.

[ozbob]

Newman is a fool.  He should have muttered the appropriate bi-partisan support comments, highlighting the general concerns, rather than grandstanding and going for the cheap political shot.  I was impressed with talk back callers, they had him nailed right from the initial comments.

[ozbob]

Typo Windermere, an excellent example why councils and developers shouldn't get too cosy ..