Australian Dams and Levees failing as more rain and floods loom
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Sep 8, 2010, 6:25:15 PM9/8/10
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Perilous Times and Climate Change
Australian Dams and Levees failing as more rain and floods loom
* From: AAP
* September 09, 2010 4:24AM
AUTHORITIES are watching for any sign a Wangaratta levee bank will collapse, inundating 60 houses and risking the lives of those who refused to evacuate, as more rain looms over Victoria.
Crews will begin trying to repair the eroding levee bank as up to 50mm of rain sweeps flood-bound Victoria today and tomorrow.
Water is leaking from the bottom of the levee which protects homes in Wilson Road, on Wangaratta's east side, from the Ovens and King rivers.
Urgent repairs are needed and may occur by the end of the week.
But further rain may delay repairs State Emergency Service (SES) incident controller Keith O'Brien said.
"The levee is showing signs of damage. It's being eroded away by the water and that collapse is inevitable," he said.
"We can't say when it will go. It could be hours, it could be days, it could be weeks, but until repairs are made, SES is advising that the area is now unsafe and that people should not be in the area."
About 10 people had remained with their houses, defying an evacuation order, while fine weather conditions in the past couple of days had encouraged others to return home despite the order, Mr O'Brien said.
"When the breach occurs, there will be a sudden rush of water with enough force to knock people over and damage buildings and infrastructure, and eventually the water inside the levee will level out with the river - up to two or three metres deep in some areas."
The Ovens River peaked at 12.8 metres on Monday.
More rain is on the way, an SES spokeswoman said.
"A cold front ... will weaken as it crosses western Victoria on Thursday morning and through central areas on Thursday afternoon. A stronger cold front will then sweep across the state on Friday morning," she said.
"Rain and isolated thunderstorms will spread across the state on Thursday with falls of 20-30mm over 24 hours expected over the southwest and along the ranges with possible 50mm falls in the northeast ranges.
"That won't raise flood levels, but it might prolong things."
Concern is growing for the Murray River town of Echuca, with water flowing down the iconic river from tributaries flooded by heavy weekend rain. Echuca is likely to be affected tomorrow night.
A community meeting is scheduled in Echuca for today.
At Shepparton, the Goulburn River peaked at 11.1 metres yesterday morning and the town was not hit as hard as had been feared, but several hundred homes remain isolated by flooded roads.
At Horsham, in the northwest, the Wimmera River has still not peaked, but is expected to affect only a handful of Horsham homes.
Dimboola, on the same river, and Warracknabeal, on the Yarriambiack Creek, are next in line.
Australian Dams and Levees failing as more rain and floods loom
* From: AAP
* September 09, 2010 4:24AM
AUTHORITIES are watching for any sign a Wangaratta levee bank will collapse, inundating 60 houses and risking the lives of those who refused to evacuate, as more rain looms over Victoria.
Crews will begin trying to repair the eroding levee bank as up to 50mm of rain sweeps flood-bound Victoria today and tomorrow.
Water is leaking from the bottom of the levee which protects homes in Wilson Road, on Wangaratta's east side, from the Ovens and King rivers.
Urgent repairs are needed and may occur by the end of the week.
But further rain may delay repairs State Emergency Service (SES) incident controller Keith O'Brien said.
"The levee is showing signs of damage. It's being eroded away by the water and that collapse is inevitable," he said.
"We can't say when it will go. It could be hours, it could be days, it could be weeks, but until repairs are made, SES is advising that the area is now unsafe and that people should not be in the area."
About 10 people had remained with their houses, defying an evacuation order, while fine weather conditions in the past couple of days had encouraged others to return home despite the order, Mr O'Brien said.
"When the breach occurs, there will be a sudden rush of water with enough force to knock people over and damage buildings and infrastructure, and eventually the water inside the levee will level out with the river - up to two or three metres deep in some areas."
The Ovens River peaked at 12.8 metres on Monday.
More rain is on the way, an SES spokeswoman said.
"A cold front ... will weaken as it crosses western Victoria on Thursday morning and through central areas on Thursday afternoon. A stronger cold front will then sweep across the state on Friday morning," she said.
"Rain and isolated thunderstorms will spread across the state on Thursday with falls of 20-30mm over 24 hours expected over the southwest and along the ranges with possible 50mm falls in the northeast ranges.
"That won't raise flood levels, but it might prolong things."
Concern is growing for the Murray River town of Echuca, with water flowing down the iconic river from tributaries flooded by heavy weekend rain. Echuca is likely to be affected tomorrow night.
A community meeting is scheduled in Echuca for today.
At Shepparton, the Goulburn River peaked at 11.1 metres yesterday morning and the town was not hit as hard as had been feared, but several hundred homes remain isolated by flooded roads.
At Horsham, in the northwest, the Wimmera River has still not peaked, but is expected to affect only a handful of Horsham homes.
Dimboola, on the same river, and Warracknabeal, on the Yarriambiack Creek, are next in line.
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