THERE is a silver lining to the cloud which was the flooding of Albany last week.
When 114 millimetres of rain fell in Albany last Thursday night it marked what is considered to be a one in 100-year rainfall event.
It sparked great interest with the local regional office of the Department of Water.
The Department’s measurement of the resulting river flows is providing important information.
The data being gathered will help with mapping and management of floodplains, the design of bridges and other structures, understanding the contribution of nutrients, salt and other contaminants to waterways, and determining potential future water sources.
The Department’s water information program manager Andrew Maughan said the extraordinary rainfall event enabled hydrographers to survey flood peaks and verify a previous flood study of Yakamia Creek.
The creek overflowed in North Road near the City of Albany offices.
“By measuring the height of the creek this time we can compare it to the height previously estimated by hydrologic and hydraulic modelling,” he said.
“We now have the latest technology available to enable us to measure streamflow more quickly, accurately and safely than previously,” Mr Maughan said.
Mr Maughan said the Department monitored water levels of 30 rivers at over 60 sites along the south coast.
“Much of this information is made available daily on our website, together with data on water quality,” he said.
Albany received 114mm overnight to 9am last Friday, with easterly wind gusts of 30kmh. It followed the 9.4mm which fell on Thursday.
The downpour was followed on Saturday with 15.4mm, Sunday 17.2mm and Monday 13.5mm.
The falls took the November total to 198.9mm, well above the November average of 43.4mm.
The meterological office at Albany Airport recorded 10.6mm Thursday, 33.4mm Friday, 9.8mm Saturday, 18.2mm Sunday and 15.8mm Monday.
By Monday, Albany Airport had received 217.6mm for the month.
Mt Barker received 44mm from Thursday to Monday, more than the month’s average of 41.9mm, taking the month’s total to 72.5mm.
Rocky Gully had 22.6mm overnight Thursday, for a five-day total to Monday of 64mm.
The widespread falls have thrown farm operations into chaos. Hay-cutting had already been affected in recent weeks, while the weekend’s falls have further hampered harvest plans.
LAST week’s rain has been a bonus for Denmark with the Quickup Dam set to overflow.
Water Minister Dr Graham Jacobs said that Denmark would rejoin the two-days-a-week sprinkler roster from December 1, following good rain that has seen the dam’s capacity rapidly reach maximum volume.
Dr Jacobs said the decision to move from the one-day-a-week roster had been made because the Water Corporation was confident the town could get through the summer period.
The one-day-a-week roster became necessary from the beginning of 2008 following two years of extremely low rainfall in the catchment feeding into Quickup Dam.
“All actions required to restore the two days roster, which applies to all towns south of Kalbarri, are being put in place to ensure Denmark residents will be able to water under that regime from the first day of summer,” the Minister said.
“In July, the dam was only about 20 per cent of capacity but in the past three months that has increased and the corporation believes there will be no problems this summer.”
Dr Jacobs thanked the Denmark community for their efforts to save water during the critical past eleven months but urged them to continue to use water wisely.
“The local community and the shire have been great promoting water efficiency during this period,” he said.
“Demand on the town’s water supply will increase significantly during the peak tourist season which is almost upon us and I ask that people do not become complacent, remaining ever-conscious of their water use.”
The Minister said long-term planning to secure Denmark’s water supply would continue through summer and into 2009.
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