Damn the damn dams or be dammed!

**bitingmidge** · 29th May 2006, 06:58 PM

I'm already sick of the "NO DAM" mob in SE Qld.

For those who don't know, most of the urban area is a tad short of water, and at it's current rate of growth will need a tad more in the not too distant future.

In order to get some quick runs on the board, our premier announced a Dam to be built over the Mary River, without it would seem, actually doing any studies or even basic feasibilities.

Now I just happen to think, that if you need water, a dam is a pretty good place to go looking for it. I also happen to think that it's a pity that the Mary River is one of only two (arguably three) locations that the worlds "living fossil" the Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) can be found, but I suppose they could always stuff one or two for the benefit of future generations.

All that aside, I'm a bit mystified by the appearance out of no-where of the old NoDam rentacrowd!

Bob Brown turns up in a canoe, telling us it's not on... rentacrowd call things like "get a tank"...

I wonder how many of them have town water connected, and if they live on rural properties whether they have dams of their own?

In the cities, how long will it be till the effects of drinking chemical pollutants built up in the tanks will appear?

I've lived in severe climates without reticulated water, and to me there's nothing romantic about fishing a dead animal out of the tank, or trying to strain wrigglers out of your glass of water..... but maybe I'm missing something?

Cheers,

P (another hand grenade from a rednecked tree hugging greenie)

**Rocker** · 29th May 2006, 07:03 PM

Midge,

I am not sure of the merits of the dam on the Mary River, but there is one thing I do know - if Bob Brown is on one side of an argument, then I am on the other.

Rocker

**ozwinner** · 29th May 2006, 07:11 PM

I think Qld was damned when Cubby station was allowed to dam the Diamantina/Cooper just to grow cotton.
Cotton cant be worth that much.
There needs to be a national approach to water conservation, not a state by state thing.

Al

**Wood Butcher** · 29th May 2006, 07:32 PM

Midge, great words!!!
Rocker, me too!

Al, Cubby's dams don't mean squat ATM. They're all empty

**Waldo** · 29th May 2006, 07:57 PM

G'day Bittingmidge,

It's about time the Qld govt' got serious about putting in some new damns.

My late Dad used to work as a hydrographer in what was the Queensland Water Resources Commission and I knew full well that Qld needed more dams. Goss tried the Wolfdene damn back in '92 or something like that but he got scared of the back lash, Bettie is no better than Goss was, but at last 2 new dams might finally get up and running.

To the idiots who poo poo them

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: . Qld needs them and needed them long ago and they have to go somewhere, so someone is going to lose out with property loss etc.

The problem is the same down here with Braxie, he's too scared of the voters and Vic desperately needs more dams in the same way Qld does. But in his wisdom he doesn't think dams are the answer, buggered if I know how else you can catch some decent water with a catchment area that dams provide. :confused:

**Waldo** · 29th May 2006, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by ozwinner

I think Qld was damned when Cubby station was allowed to dam the Diamantina/Cooper just to grow cotton. Al

G'day Al,

That's a massive public misconception, spread around by the Green mob etc. My Dad was responsible after 3 months of investigating the application before approving it (to be passed higher up for approval of course). He was a hydrograper working in the field for 23 years before working in water permitt applications, ala the likes of Cubby.

Cubby Station's dams, as massive as they are, do not take any run off from the Diamantina/Cooper Rivers nor do have they damed Diamantina/Cooper Rivers. Cubby's dams only take the runoff from their property and nothing else.

Just wanted to clarify that.

AlexS, if he sees this post, might be able to back me up on this as he was a Hydrographer in NSW, so he'd also be up to speed on what happened in Qld.

**ozwinner** · 29th May 2006, 08:03 PM

WE dont need more dams here in Vic, our problem was that Citylink was useing 900,000 litres per day of our drinking water for 3 years, thats what depleted our reserves. :mad:
They used it to stop the tunnels from collapsing.
Now they recycle the water so dont use as much.

Al :mad:

**Wood Butcher** · 29th May 2006, 08:04 PM

The local council in Toowoomba has the right idea for water shortage. If they get their way we'll be drinking recyled sewerage in a couple of years time!
So long as its done right I think it's a great idea.

**ozwinner** · 29th May 2006, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by Waldo

Cubby's dams only take the runoff from their property and nothing else.

.

Thats just it.
It was runoff, and it runoff somewhere else.
How can one group claim the rain that falls on their property?

OK from here on in, I claim all the air that is on my property.
See how stupid it sounds? :eek:

Al :confused:

**Auld Bassoon** · 29th May 2006, 08:09 PM

Must agree with that!

**Buzzer** · 29th May 2006, 08:11 PM

Good onya Midge, I agree.

More dams need to be built in QLD not just for Brisbane. Take Toowoomba for example, and their water restrictions for the well known "The Garden City".
I hear talk about recycling waste water.
In my opinion they should be talking about building dams for the rapidly growing population.
Are the authorities too afraid to make the tough decisions? I dont know.
Thats my 2 bob's worth.
Cheers,
Buzzer

**Waldo** · 29th May 2006, 08:12 PM

G'day Al,

Runoff is runoff, but the dams on Cubby Station are below the water table of the Diamantina/Cooper Rivers. So it's water that doesn't reach the rivers - therein lies the public misconception.

**ozwinner** · 29th May 2006, 08:13 PM

Its ok to build dams, but where does the water to fill them come from?

Al :confused:

**ozwinner** · 29th May 2006, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Waldo

G'day Al,

Runoff is runoff, but the dams on Cubby Station are below the water table of the Diamantina/Cooper Rivers. So it's water that doesn't reach the rivers - therein lies the public misconception.

Sooo, why wasnt the place a lake?

Al :confused:

**Waldo** · 29th May 2006, 08:19 PM

G'day,

I'm out of this now. Said my bit to set the record straight, so I'll have a poke somewhere else.

Answer to Al's question, there's a lot a flat land out there, a heck of a lot. It's the dams that are below the water table of the rivers.

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