Flood information - links

[colinw]

Photo gallery of damage to the NCL at Bundaberg: click here

[somebody]

Lovely bit of trolling in the Canberra Times -> Queensland opens floodgates

Call me a troll then.  I fully agree with the article, even enthusiastically.

[Stillwater]

The ACT government spent a pretty penny once hiring consultants to find a new slogan for the Capital Territory vehicle number plates.  What was it?  'Canberra-Feel the Power'.  Such was the backlash that they reverted to the old slogan - 'Canberra - Heart of the Nation'.

[colinw]

Urgh, that is nearly as cringe inducing as the smart state plates were here.

Seriously, do we need stupid catchphrases on number plates at all?  What is wrong with just ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, QLD, VIC, WA like we used to have.

[ozbob]

... 'Canberra-Feel the Power' ...

There it is .... the root cause of the endemic political failure ... an extrapolation of the 'big car, small sex organ principle' ....

Queenslanders are a bit different.  A train crashes into a dunny, and there isn't a problem in some peoples minds ... 

[colinw]

Sunshine Coast line: "we want dunnies".
Cleveland line: a train equipped with a dunny crashes into a dunny strategically placed at the end of the line.

[Stillwater]

Get your rocks off and Feel the Power of Canberra:

[mufreight]

Sunshine Coast line: "we want dunnies".
Cleveland line: a train equipped with a dunny crashes into a dunny strategically placed at the end of the line.

Does that make it a Wee dunn it? as distinct from a who dunn it.

[SurfRail]

Lovely bit of trolling in the Canberra Times -> Queensland opens floodgates

Call me a troll then.  I fully agree with the article, even enthusiastically.

The irony is that every state in this country is more or less equally guilty of the same thing.  Queenslanders are just more upfront about it.

[colinw]

Having once had the misfortune of being stuck in Galston RSL Club on State of Origin night (dinner with my wife & her elderly aunt), I think the whole thing is a case of "pot calling kettle black".

I don't even like b**dy Rugby League, only football code that matters to me is Aussie Rules and even then I'm not exactly religious about it - its just entertainment and an excuse to have a couple of beers with my brother-in-law

The fact is that humans are tribal by their very nature. Even if we were all the exact same height, weight, colour and appearance, we would find a way to identify someone as the outsider and then discriminate against them.

[somebody]

Lovely bit of trolling in the Canberra Times -> Queensland opens floodgates

Call me a troll then.  I fully agree with the article, even enthusiastically.

The irony is that every state in this country is more or less equally guilty of the same thing.  Queenslanders are just more upfront about it.

Interesting argument.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/2013-ex-cyclone-oswald-lessons-to-be.html
Ex-cylone Oswald public transport disruption - what was done well, and what could have been done better?

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Local Government Minister David Crisafulli blames 'noisy minority interest groups' for dams and levees not being built in past

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Stranded Flagstone locals demand better roads

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Disaster recovery deal done

[ozbob]

Treasurer and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Tim Nicholls

Partnership Agreement to deliver for Queensland

The Queensland and Commonwealth Governments have today signed a National Partnership Agreement (NPA) to facilitate Queensland's recovery from ex-tropical cyclone Oswald.

The agreement strengthens and complements the existing Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) scheme.

Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the 2010-11 NPA had been extended to include the floods of January 2013.

"This agreement, which streamlines assessment for Category C funding, will help ensure all three levels of Government work together to get Queensland back on its feet as quickly as possible," Mr Nicholls said.

"A framework for improvement is being developed as part of the agreement to ensure flood-prone public infrastructure is rebuilt to a higher standard, making communities more resilient.

"I look forward to Betterment funding arrangements being finalised within the next two weeks.

"I wrote to Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan last week requesting an exemption from changes made to the NDRRA late last year and I am very pleased the Gillard Government has agreed to several of our requests."

As such, the State will not be required to seek approval from the Commonwealth before starting works estimated to be more than $1million.

Sporting, recreation and community facilities affected by the 2013 floods and ex-cyclone Oswald will also be eligible for NDRRA funding.

A pilot program developed and trialled by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) in 2011, whereby Local Government day-labour is eligible for NDRRA funding, will apply to the 2013 floods.

"This arrangement will enable Councils to carry out reconstruction works at no cost to ratepayers, while also saving the State and Commonwealth Governments money," Mr Nicholls said. 

As well as establishing clear roles for each level of Government, the agreement sets out three priority areas:

-          Reconstruction: supporting communities to rebuild essential public assets

-          People and communities: assistance and services to support individuals and communities to manage their own recovery

-          The economy: recovery packages to support business and employment in disaster affected areas

The agreement establishes:

-          An Australian Government Reconstruction Inspectorate to oversee the reconstruction and ensure value for money during the recovery phase

-          A Commonwealth Natural Disaster Recovery Taskforce within the federal Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government

[ENDS] 8 February 2013

[BrizCommuter]

Couriermail Quest --> Stranded Flagstone locals demand better roads

How about they move to somewhere more sensible?

[somebody]

Couriermail Quest --> Stranded Flagstone locals demand better roads

How about they move to somewhere more sensible?

Worked pretty well at Grantham too.

[somebody]

Flood plan needed to stem tide
Save this story to read later

    Chas Keys
    The Courier-Mail
    February 11, 2013 1:00AM

THE levee at Grafton is an example of large scale flood mitigation projects completed in NSW. PIC: Simon Hughes

NOW the hue and cry from the flooding has died down and the recovery processes are in train in Bundaberg and elsewhere, the debate has shifted to the question of what should be done to alleviate Queensland's flood problem.

Four successive summers of severe floods have pushed the political system to begin thinking about the long term.

There is a way forward.

Queensland needs an agreement between the federal, state and local governments about mitigation - in other words about what should be done to manage flooding in the future and how the very big dollars required should be found.

There is a blueprint. NSW was badly affected by flooding during the mid-1950s, when almost all of the state's rivers had very bad floods. There were more than 50 deaths and the damage to houses and businesses, including farms, was colossal. Many flood-height records established then have not been challenged since.

The flooding was so bad and so widespread that political action simply had to be taken. What emerged was a significant flood mitigation effort, funded largely on a 2:2:1 (federal:state:council) basis.

Over a period of decades, levee protection was provided for more than 40 towns, floodway bypasses were fashioned to direct floods away from built-up areas, retention basins were built so that water could be ponded during a flood and released slowly afterwards, houses were raised so that they would not be affected except in huge floods, and dwellings in the lowest-lying areas were bought at market prices and removed.

Importantly, councils were given incentives to not allow homes to be built on flood-prone land.

All this was based on careful flood studies. Floodplains were mapped to show which areas could be expected to be inundated in floods of different severities. The maps informed the property buy-backs, house-raising and land use planning.

Between 1960 and 2007, about $1.3 billion in today's money was spent in NSW on flood mitigation.

Queensland did not take this route. Very little flood mapping was done (so councils were not able to comprehend properly the flood risk), few towns were leveed and there was little attempt to restrict urban development on floodplains.

The result is what we have seen in the past few years, new houses, in large numbers, inundated.

Several dams (including Wivenhoe) were built, with flood storage capacities incorporated in their designs. Unfortunately, in Wivenhoe's case, the Bjelke-Petersen government touted the dam as being the solution to Brisbane's flood problem.

It could never have been, of course. Several major watercourses enter the Brisbane River below Wivenhoe, some of which (including the Bremer River and Lockyer and Oxley creeks) had big floods two years ago.

But the message that the dam could only alleviate the problem somewhat did not get out and in 2011 many more Brisbane houses were flooded than in the higher flood of 1974.

The nature of Brisbane's development after 1974 was a looming disaster born of dreadful state government leadership.

Flood damage costs in Queensland have risen much more steeply over the past few decades than they have in NSW.

The experience of Grafton last week was instructive. A record flood was kept out by levees. In fact, since 1970, when the current levees were completed, no fewer than 11 floods have been excluded that would otherwise have entered the town. Last week's flood would have inundated almost all of Grafton.

And the cost? Probably of the order of $30 million if the levees were built today, plus an annual maintenance cost of a few hundred thousand dollars.

For that, Grafton may have been saved something like $800 million in damage to houses, businesses and roads in four significant floods since the turn of the century.

The ratio of benefit to cost is large, not to mention avoiding the emotional trauma that so many Queensland communities have experienced lately - some of them repetitively. And there will be more monetary cost and more trauma until it is recognised that mitigation and sensible land use management must be adopted.

It's a no-brainer, really.

Queensland is seeing severe, repeated flooding just as NSW did in the mid-1950s. We should hope that a national agreement focused on mitigation is developed that will do for this state what was done for its neighbour all those years ago.

Chas Keys is an Honorary Associate of Risk Frontiers (Macquarie University) and the author of Making Communities Safer in Times of Flood.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/flood-plan-needed-to-stem-tide/story-e6frfkp9-1226574830969#ixzz2KXhaT7cD

[colinw]

My dad went through the 1954 floods in Lismore.  Still tells stories about them to this day, not a good time for northern NSW.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Floods shadow high rise project

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/2/15/parliament-passes-changes-to-flood-laws

Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience
The Honourable David Crisafulli
Friday, February 15, 2013

Parliament passes changes to flood laws

In the first sitting of Queensland's Parliament for the year, the Newman Government has pushed through changes to the law that will help flood-affected communities recover as quickly as possible.

Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli introduced the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Amendment Bill 2013 to Parliament on Wednesday. The Bill was passed in a late sitting last night.

"This just shows how quickly the Government will act to help Queensland rebuild," Mr Crisafulli said.

"The recovery and reconstruction of affected communities is the immediate priority for all Queenslanders, and we'll do what it takes to deliver that."

The changes will amend the definition of "disaster event" to include storms, floods and tornadoes from ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald and extends and expands the role of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Mr Crisafulli said the emphasis was now on building a more resilient Queensland.

"That goal is reflected in these changes," he said.

"We'll never flood-proof a state as big and diverse as Queensland, but we can do a better job at building more durable infrastructure.

"If an asset has been replaced over and over again, it's time that we look at building it differently or in a better location.

"It's time to rebuild with a view to the future, not the past.

"I'll be working closely with Queensland mayors and councillors to bring about the results their communities want.

"The changes to the Act will give us the scope to achieve that."

[ENDS] 15 February 2013

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings/

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for HEAVY RAINFALL

For people in parts of the
Central Coast and Whitsundays,
Capricornia,
Wide Bay and Burnett and
Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.

Issued at 3:54 am Monday, 18 February 2013.

Synoptic Situation: At 4am AEST Monday, a slow moving surface trough was situated near the Queensland east coast. A low is expected to develop along the trough off the Herbert and Lower Burdekin coast today and move in a south to southeast direction parallel to the Queensland east coast before deepening further off the southeast Queensland coast on Tuesday.

Heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding, is expected to develop about coastal and adjacent inland areas between Bowen and Brisbane during today and into Tuesday. 24 hour totals of up to 100 to 200mm are likely, with isolated totals in excess of 200mm possible.

These conditions are expected to contract to the south of about St Lawrence tonight, before also possibly extending down to the NSW border on Tuesday.

Locations which may be affected include Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay, Proserpine and Bowen.

[ozbob]

BOM Radar 5.06pm

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR662.loop.shtml#skip

[ozbob]

BOM Radar 10.30am 19th February 2013

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR662.loop.shtml

Near miss ..

[ozbob]

Seqwater Flood Operations Centre Update

--> http://www.seqwater.com.au/news/279

Seqwater Dam release update - sent 3.50pm

Due to current rainfall, Seqwater Flood Operations Centre was mobilised today. At this stage, low-level releases are occurring from Somerset, Wivenhoe and Leslie Harrison dams and are being managed to have minimal impact on the local community.

Somerset Dam

Gate releases into Wivenhoe Dam began today at a rate of 400 cubic metres per second. Releases are expected to continue for several days to bring the dam back to full supply level.

Wivenhoe Dam

Gate releases began today at a rate of 150 cubic metres per second.  Releases are expected to continue until Monday 25 February 2013 to bring the dam back to the temporary full supply level.

Releases will impact Twin Bridges and Savages Crossing and these are expected to remain closed until Monday 25 February 2013. The Somerset Regional Council has been notified.

Please contact your local council for details of road and crossing closures.

North Pine Dam

As the North Pine Dam lake level increases towards reaching Full Supply Level, Seqwater is planning to conduct gate releases tonight.  The release is expected to start around 8.00pm and will finish around 5.30am tomorrow morning. Youngs Crossing will be closed for the duration of the release.

Please contact Moreton Bay Regional Council for details of when Youngs Crossing will be re-opened.

Leslie Harrison Dam

Due to rainfall in the past 24 hours, gate releases from Leslie Harrison Dam began at around 7.00am this morning and will conclude around 4.00pm this afternoon. Releases are only minor and are being managed to minimise any impacts to the community downstream.

Ungated Dams

Due to rainfall in the catchment, the following un-gated dams are currently spilling:

    Atkinson Dam
    Baroon Pocket Dam
    Borumba Dam
    Cedar Pocket Dam
    Clarendon Dam
    Cooloolabin Dam
    Enoggera Dam
    Ewen Maddock
    Gold Creek Dam
    Hinze Dam
    Lake Macdonald
    Little Nerang Dam
    Moogerah Dam
    Poona Dam
    Sideling Creek Dam
    Wappa Dam
    Wyaralong Dam.

Recreation area update

The following Seqwater lakes are currently closed to all water-based activities:

    Lake Baroon
    Lake Borumba
    Lake Kurwongbah
    Lake Samsonvale
    Lake Somerset.

The temporary closure of these lakes is a precautionary measure that is based on expected inflows into the lakes and the potential adverse water quality, which may occur as a result of the current rainfall event.

Water quality samples will be taken as soon as practical, and the lakes will be re-opened as soon as test results indicate that it is appropriate to do so.
Signage will be placed on site, and updates will be available on www.seqwater.com.au.

Please note, there may still be some restrictions for land-based activities at some of the lakes – be sure to check the public notices page on the Seqwater website at www.seqwater.com.au for the latest details.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Flood safe zones are pure folly

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland in for another drenching while Gold Coast beaches cop a pounding

[ozbob]

http://www.seqwater.com.au/news/dam-release-information

As at 11.00 am on Saturday, 23 February 2013, the following applies:

Rainfall Outlook

It is likely that a widespread, slow moving rain event will impact South East Queensland early next week. The system likely to produce the rain has the potential to produce rainfall totals in the order of 200mm to 400mm. This may result in catchment average totals of 100mm to 200mm.

Somerset Dam

Somerset Dam is currently at 100%. Flood releases from Somerset Dam have concluded. The lake level is being maintained through operational releases from the regulator valves.  Releases may be increased once further rain occurs.

Wivenhoe Dam

Wivenhoe Dam is currently at 91%. Releases are continuing to bring the dam back to the temporary full supply level of 88%. Approximately 150 cubic metres per second is currently being released and Twin Bridges and Savages Crossing will remain closed while this release continues.

Consideration is currently being given to increasing the current release from Wivenhoe Dam to prepare for the forecast widespread rain expected after the weekend.  If releases are increased, Colleges Crossing may be closed on Sunday night and will remain closed until the rain system clears the dam catchments.  An update on this issue will be provided after 5:00pm this afternoon.

Please contact your local council for details of road and crossing closures.

North Pine Dam

No flood releases are currently occurring from North Pine Dam. However, in preparation for the forecast widespread rain expected after the weekend, consideration is being given to making a release of water from North Pine Dam on Sunday night.  If undertaken, this will close Young's Crossing from around 8:00pm on Sunday night until 6:00am on Monday morning.  An update on this issue will be provided after 5:00pm this afternoon.

Leslie Harrison Dam

No flood releases are currently occurring from Leslie Harrison Dam.  However, in preparation for the forecast widespread rain expected after the weekend, consideration is being given to releasing water from Leslie Harrison Dam tomorrow.  An update on this issue will be provided after 5:00pm this afternoon ...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Heavy rains and flooding on the way

WATERLOGGED southeast Queensland is in for another drenching over the next few days, with the weather bureau warning of substantial rain and possible flooding.

Flood-ravaged Bundaberg as well as Brisbane are part of a large area of the state in the firing line of a very active trough expected to dump up to 300mm of rain.

"The threat of more flooding is very real with this system," Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Chris Joseph said yesterday ...

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for HEAVY RAINFALL

For people in the
Wide Bay and Burnett,
Southeast Coast and parts of the
Capricornia Forecast Districts.

Issued at 10:02 am Sunday, 24 February 2013.

Synoptic Situation:
At 10am AEST Sunday, a slow moving upper trough and associated upper low were situated across central Queensland. The upper trough and low are expected to move slowly eastwards while amplifying tonight and into Monday. A surface trough off the central and southeast Queensland coast is expected to move onto the coast during Monday.

Areas of HEAVY RAIN, which may lead to flash flooding, is expected to develop overnight tonight and during Monday. 24 hour totals of between 100 to 200mm are likely, with locally heavier totals in excess of 200mm possible particularly near the coast and about adjacent inland areas. Periods of more intense rain may deliver totals of up to 100mm over a shorter duration of up to 6 hours.

Locations which may be affected include Gladstone, Gympie, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, the Sunshine Coast and adjacent hinterland areas, Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast and adjacent hinterland areas.

At 10am AEST, a separate Severe Thunderstorm Warning was current parts of the Capricornia district. Refer to this product for more information.

[ozbob]

http://www.seqwater.com.au/news/dam-release-information

Sunday 24 February 2013 - Water Release Update

For detailed information on road and crossing closures and other potential impacts, always contact your local council. For river level information, please visit the Bureau of Meteorology's website, www.bom.gov.au.

Due to rainfall earlier this week, the Seqwater Flood Operations Centre was mobilised at 10am on Tuesday 19 February 2013.

As at 11.30 am on Sunday, 24 February 2013, the following applies:

Rainfall Outlook
The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting widespread rain across South East Queensland, with heavy rain commencing early Monday morning and continuing through until at least Tuesday. Heavy rain beyond Tuesday and through to the end of the week is possible. The rain has the potential to cause flooding in South East Queensland catchments.

Somerset Dam
Somerset Dam is currently at 100% and no releases are currently being made from the Dam. Releases will recommence once further rain occurs in the Dam's catchment area.

Wivenhoe Dam
Wivenhoe Dam is currently at 89%. Releases are continuing to bring the dam back to the temporary full supply level of 88%. The rate of release was increased this morning to 280 cubic metres per second with the aim of lowering the dam to the temporary full supply level of 88% before the onset of forecast heavy rain on Monday. Twin Bridges and Savages Crossing remain closed. This increased release will close Colleges Crossing on Sunday night and the Crossing is likely to remain closed until the rain system clears the dam catchments. If actual rainfall exceeds current predictions, it is possible that other bridges may need to be closed later in the week.

Please contact your local council for details of road and crossing closures.

North Pine Dam
North Pine Dam is currently at 98% and no releases are currently being made from the Dam. In preparation for the onset of forecast heavy rain on Monday, the State Government has taken the decision to reinvoke a Temporary Full Supply Level of 88% for North Pine Dam. A release of water will commence from North Pine Dam at 8.00pm tonight. This will close Young's Crossing.

For further information on the closure of Young's Crossing, please contact Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Leslie Harrison Dam
Leslie Harrison Dam is currently at 94% and no releases are currently being made from the Dam. In preparation for the onset of forecast heavy rain on Monday, releases will commence from Leslie Harrison Dam later today. This release will have limited downstream impacts as the release will remain within the confines of Tingalpa Creek. However, as heavy rain continues, this situation may change.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for HEAVY RAINFALL

For people in the
Wide Bay and Burnett,
Southeast Coast and parts of the
Capricornia and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Issued at 4:56 pm Monday, 25 February 2013.

Synoptic Situation:
At 4pm AEST Monday, a slow moving upper low was situated across central Queensland. The upper low is expected to move slowly eastwards and begin weakening from tonight. A surface trough lies offshore of the central and Capricorn coasts and is expected to move west on to the coast late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Another surface trough over southeastern Queensland is expected to weaken during Tuesday.

Areas of HEAVY RAIN, which may lead to flash flooding, are expected east of a line from St Lawrence to Stanthorpe, excluding the Gold Coast region. 24 hour totals of between 100 to 200mm are likely, with locally heavier totals in excess of 200mm possible. Periods of more intense rain may deliver totals in excess of 100mm over a shorter duration of up to 6 hours. Locations which may be affected include Rockhampton, Gladstone, Gympie, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, the Sunshine Coast and adjacent hinterland areas, Brisbane, Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba and the Cunningham Range.

Currently, the heaviest rain is located on radar over the Sunshine Coast and hinterland, extending into the Burnett region and south to Ipswich. In the past six hours highest rainfall totals have included 81mm at Lake MacDonald Dam, 78mm at Peachester, 68mm at Mt Castle and 63mm at Toowoomba.

The focus for heavy rain is expected to contract north into the Wide Bay and Burnett and Capricornia districts during Tuesday.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Major Queensland centres brace for more flooding woes as rain system moves north

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Sandbags available as tidal flooding expected around Newstead again

[ozbob]

 http://www.seqwater.com.au/news/dam-release-information

Thursday, 28 February 2013 - Water Release Update

For detailed information on road and crossing closures and other potential impacts, always contact your local council. For river level information, please visit the Bureau of Meteorology's website, www.bom.gov.au.

The Seqwater Flood Operations Centre was mobilised on Tuesday, 19 February 2013.

As at 6.30 am, Thursday, 28 February 2013, the following applies:

Somerset Dam
Somerset Dam is currently at 121.7 per cent and falling, with releases continuing at a rate of 640 cubic metres per second.  Releases are likely to continue until Saturday.

Wivenhoe Dam
Wivenhoe Dam is currently at 112.5 per cent and falling slowly. Releases are continuing at a rate of 1600 cubic metres per second. Releases are likely to continue until at least Monday.

Twin Bridges, Savages Crossing, Colleges Crossing, Burtons Bridge and Kholo Bridge are closed and are expected to remain closed until early next week. Releases from Wivenhoe Dam are being managed to keep Mt Crosby Bridge open.

Please contact your local council for details of road and crossing closures.

North Pine Dam
North Pine Dam is currently at 89 per cent. Releases ceased at 5.30 am this morning to allow Youngs Crossing to be re-opened.                   

Please contact Moreton Bay Regional Council to confirm when Youngs Crossing has been re-opened.

Continuing operational releases may be necessary to maintain the dam near the temporary full supply level of 88 per cent. It is expected that, should these releases be required, there will be no need to close Youngs Crossing. This may change if further rainfall occurs.

Leslie Harrison Dam
Leslie Harrison Dam is currently at 94.2 per cent and gate releases have ceased.

[somebody]

Remember a few months back we had those guys who wanted to pump Wivenhoe empty and bring it back, which lacked a few other bits of detail including the massive pumping cost and I wonder how the project would have stood up to the recent floods? But perhaps when we start something we should just finish it!

Pumping costs aren't the problem with that plan - the problem is there is no ability to pump to/from the Borumba Dam, and it's also not big enough.  Their plan was to change those things.  There's a bit of a write up of the idea here: http://wivenhoesomersetrainfall.com/borumba_dam.htm

As for how that would have gone, it would have made no difference in 2013 because the dam gates were closed at the critical times anyway.  It would have nearly stopped 2011 dead in terms of dam release, and would have done so if Somerset's storage was thrown in.

[somebody]

I'd imagine the Borumba dam would in practice be filled predominantly by rainfall rather than pumping, with Wivenhoe/Somerset being drawn on for drinking water.

I think it's obvious that they wouldn't leave the dams at the 0% full mark, rather they'd just drop the FSL.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20805.html

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology Queensland

FLOOD WARNING FOR THE LOCKYER AND LAIDLEY CREEKS AND THE BREMER RIVER

Issued at 4:48 pm EST on Saturday 2 March 2013

by the Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane.

In the last 12 hours 40-70mm of rain has fallen in the Lockyer and Laidley Creeks and the Bremer River. Further rainfall is expected throughout the evening.

Lockyer and Laidley Creeks:

Moderate flood levels are falling on the Lockyer Creek at Sandy Creek Road. Minor flood levels are rising downstream at Gatton with moderate flood levels possible this evening. In Laidley Creek, minor to moderate flood levels are rising between Mulgowie and the Warrego Highway. Minor flood levels are possible further downstream between Glenore Grove and O'Reilly's Weir later on Saturday and into Sunday.

Bremer River:

Minor to moderate flood levels are expected between Adam's Bridge and Walloon overnight and into Sunday, and on the Western Creek at Kuss Road.

Brisbane River below Wivenhoe Dam:

Minor flood levels between Savages Crossing and Mt Crosby Weir will continue into early next week.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane bucketing set to continue as southeast Queensland drenched again