Still breaking records
The 2022 flood will be the new 100-year flood level in the Edward at Moulamein. The old record was 6.094 metres. We are now sitting on 6.231m and still rising very slowly. The Edward is dropping upstream but unfortunately, the Billabong is still mutating into the beast that could take our town out.
Those in charge are pretty confident that they can keep the flood out of the main part of town. (But just keep pushing that Panic Button. I think mine’s broken.)
Only a centimetre a day is a lot when you have been on flood watch for the last month and every time you think you have it beaten, we get more rain and you have another rise coming down our rivers. We diverted a heap of Billabong water away from Moulamein almost three weeks ago by cutting banks.
Unfortunately, after wandering through paddocks and filling a couple of dry lakes, this water has come back into the north of Moulamein looking for somewhere to go. There have been levees built to try and keep it north to go back into the Edward, downstream of Moulamein.
Unfortunately, none of us are old enough to remember what happened back in 1956.
The Balranald Road could become unpassable with the amount of water heading that way. There are about 25 pipes, some of them about a metre in diameter, feeding this new flood that got lost for almost three weeks.
It is also running over about 2km of road. Some of that water is over 30cm deep. That is a lot of lost water looking somewhere to go. We were told we would be isolated. By the time you read this, we will know if we can still get out the Balranald Road. The Edward and the Billabong are both dropping upstream.
But we do not have flash floods here because the water moves very slowly down our rivers.
The same thing happens when the rivers are dropping. It tales a long time to get here. We can only hope that by the time you read this, our little town has a river that is dropping, or at least level not rising.
I was talking to a mate tonight that has 4 or 5 cm of freeboard on his banks around the house. He did a lot of bank work after 2016 but didn’t expect something like this. I think he will be doing a lot more bank work after this year. Be sure to mark the water levels when they peak this week as this is history in the making.
Stay safe out there.
Plenty of volunteers
All of those strangers you see running around our little town in a yellow uniform are volunteers with our Rural Fire Service (RFS) from all around our state, and from interstate.
As well as our own town and district RFS members, I have been told that they have really appreciated the cakes and slices that have been dropped into our RFS station.
Nothing beats country cooking when you have been working away from home. It must be getting serious now as there are now orange uniforms volunteering as well. There are now more SES volunteers coming into our town.
I’m sure they would love country cooking as well.
I would love to be able to catch up with them to thank them personally for giving up their time.
Could someone drop a paper off to the smoko room for me. I have also seen the Marine Search and Rescue in town as well as a constant police presence.
So, if you want to leave, our little town is in good hands.
Please consider leaving if you are not capable of isolating. I’m sure the beer truck has an exemption to still get out here.
Party boat
There have been sheep rescued by helicopter, by boat, by trailers or just by chasing them through the ever-rising waters.
There were about 1000 sheep stranded on an island the other day and the island was getting smaller.
A party boat was borrowed with the promise of new carpet and the process started. It would be around 90 trips, I think.
As the photo shows, the sheep and the dog seem to be very relaxed. I do not know about the owner.
Bowls postponed
As much as I love my bowls on a Saturday afternoon, but it is the last thing on my mind at the moment. We will work it out in the next week or two or so, when our rivers drop to a safe level.
A coat for December
Back before global warming affected our rice growing season, I can remember saying. “It will grow this week as it will get to 40 for a couple of days”.
This year I am happy it is going to get to 30 for a couple of days.
Some of my duck shooters commented that they have never seen me in a coat. It is December by the time you read this and I am still looking for a coat for the bike ride in the mornings.
