Worst drought ever

[Dukey]

Guys... seriously - I wanna know when the 'Sensible Smurf for PM' movement is gonna get started. Cause mate - you got my vote.
You make a lot of straight forward sense - always.
Please give up your day job and take to the streets Smurf.

Save us from those clowns in Can't-berra........

 

[Aussiejeff]

... as long as he's *edible* ... hehe.

AJ

 

[2020hindsight]

...Oh, yeah! The collapse of the EASTER ISLAND civilisation, wasn't it? Since they lived on a small island, their resources were very limited and needed to be veeery carefully managed to avert a catastrophic collapse of society. Did they worry? NO WAY!

Apart from the fact that I agree with you and Dukey about Smurf for president ,
As for Easter Island deja vu all over again , ...
I've been working on a big rock statue for a while now.. kneeling position ...plan is to take it to Canberra to face up to the heavens and pray for rain .. and some sense to be exhibited by our leaders ... - trouble is the ute is only good for 1T on a good day, and this thing clocks in around 14T
(my guess is that they all died of strained backs !)

PS Brilliant comparison btw

 

[macca]

Well, there was 100mm of rain in Sydney last night, minor flash floods etc etc.

Naturally, this water was quickly despatched into the ocean, can't have it clogging up any water storage facilities, damned stuff, what a nuisance !!

I bet the councils in Sydney are glad they ordered the removal of all those ugly water tanks, makes the area look untidy when people water their gardens and lawns.

 

[2020hindsight]

Naturally, this water was quickly despatched into the ocean, can't have it clogging up any water storage facilities, damned stuff, what a nuisance !!

macca, Lol , my wife's favourite topic - she who must be obeyed, and who is probably the antithesis of a technocrat , presents me with a never ending series of sketches and drawings of how she would reorganise Sydney's storm water pipes.
Trubel is, I can't fault her argument . (and she's right more often than me about just about anything lol - just lucky though )esok:

 

[Julia]

Well, there was 100mm of rain in Sydney last night, minor flash floods etc etc.

Naturally, this water was quickly despatched into the ocean, can't have it clogging up any water storage facilities, damned stuff, what a nuisance !!

I bet the councils in Sydney are glad they ordered the removal of all those ugly water tanks, makes the area look untidy when people water their gardens and lawns.

Oh, I'd almost kill for 100mm of rain. How wonderful.

 

[Smurf1976]

Smurf for PM. Hmm...

Well to tell the truth I do have a history of political involvement, lead a few groups on various issues, organised the odd protest outside parliament etc so anything is possible. Not planning on PM though. Well not unless I can learn to tell lies and keep a straight face at the same time.

Now, a serious if frightening question for all. What, exactly, are we going to do if the drought doesn't end this year and is still going in 5 years time? The farms WILL be stuffed, the lights WILL be out and the taps WILL be dry by that time if it continues. We've had a decade of drought and used basically all our stored water in that time. What now if it doesn't rain? This county is potentially in very serious trouble if the drought doesn't end soon.

As for things we can do (other than prayers), cloud seeding is the only option we could try at short notice. It's proven to work in Tasmania and Snowy Hydro thinks it's going to help them too (though no proof yet). So I think we ought to give it a try at least in the mountain areas of Victoria, NSW etc to try and get some more runoff into the storages.

Worst case we waste a few $ million since it's not that expensive. Hydro Tas program costs about $1 million a year - maybe $10's of millions to do a large area on the mainland but that's pretty trivial in the big picture sense. With a bit of luck we'll all end up like those on the West Coast of Tas complaining that it works just a bit too well...

 

[chops_a_must]

Now, a serious if frightening question for all. What, exactly, are we going to do if the drought doesn't end this year and is still going in 5 years time?

Move to Perth. A fate worse than death.

 

[2020hindsight]

Move to Perth. A fate worse than death.

M8, if smurf move to Perth, Tassie will sink ! For a starters, who's gonna look after the DC7 there where he works ?

PS Never forget, as Homer Simpson would say " If something goes wrong at the plant, blame the guy who can't speak English."

 

[2020hindsight]

PS then there's Homer's Presidential campaign .... "I promise there will be fewer nuclear disasters with me as your President than with me as your nuclear safety inspector. "

I will make the trains run on time. On second thought, coal might be better. I will make the trains run on coal.

I will legalize the hunting of sisters-in-law. etc etc.

PS these have nothing to do with Smurf, - nor strictly about the drought I guess

 

[Happy]

Why desalination is not our water safety valve?

 

[Julia]

Why desalination is not our water safety valve?

Yes, indeed. Israel does this successfully. When one of their experts was here recently, neither Peter Beattie nor his deputy deigned to attend his meeting. They continue to encourage more and more migration to Queensland and build more and more high rises etc.
Might have to move to the Far North.

 

[Smurf1976]

Yes, indeed. Israel does this successfully. When one of their experts was here recently, neither Peter Beattie nor his deputy deigned to attend his meeting. They continue to encourage more and more migration to Queensland and build more and more high rises etc.
Might have to move to the Far North.

That attitude is the real cause of all the trouble we have now. The Qld and Vic governments especially just don't want to hear it when it comes to actually fixing the problem. They're just too busy pushing whatever agenda it is they're trying to push - seems to be water recycling in Qld and constantly increasing restrictions in Vic...

 

[Smurf1976]

Some photos taken on 25th April by myself at Great Lake (Tas).

First one shows the Miena dam site with all 3 dams visible. When full, the water level is up to just under the walkway at the top of the concrete tower on the right. At present it is 12.4% full and falling and is the lowest since 1968.

The first dam commenced construction in 1910 by the Hydro-Electric Power and Metallurgical Company (HEPMCO). The company ran out of funds in 1914 and split into the mining and smelting operation (now Zinifex) and the uncompleted power scheme became the sole asset of the newly formed Hydro-Electric Department (now Hydro Tasmania). It was completed in 1916 and stores 500 GL of water.

The second dam is the multiple arch concrete dam visible in the middle. Both this and the first dam are normally not visible due to being completely submerged. Construction started soon after the first dam was completed as the newly formed Hydro had plans that were somewhat larger than simply supplying a single zinc smelter. It and the enlargement of the associated power station were completed in 1922. Also at that time additional water was diverted into Great Lake from Lake Augusta (also dammed but it stores very little). The second dam stored about 1500 GL.

The third dam was initially completed in 1967 to hold 2300 GL. Associated with this was the construction of a new (replacement) power station with nearly 3 times the efficiency and 2.5 times the capacity of the old ones (one of which is now a museum open to the public). Also at that time Arthurs Lake was dammed and diverted (by pumping) into Great Lake.

The power station was subsequently enlarged in 1977 and the dam raised to its current height in 1982 (3000 GL).

Second photo shows the Poatina intake (where the Great Lake water goes). When the lake is full, the water would be almost to the top of the concrete - the intake screen (grill) would be completely submerged as would most of the rocks. Note that the photo is looking uphill and the trees in the background are actually somewhat higher than the top of the intake structure. Poatina power station itself is underground and quite some distance away (several KM).

 

[Happy]

That attitude is the real cause of all the trouble we have now.

You are probably right, but isn't all water in a sense recycled?

 

[Kimosabi]

Well it might be a bit early to call it, but there seems to be some very good widespread rain going through South Australia at the moment which looks like it should go through much of NSW and Vic as well.

 

[krisbarry]

Pissing down in Adelaide as we speak, and right across SA...Most significant rain event for over a year is predicted in this region.

'bout bloddy time.

Australia is an awesome country, except for being such a dust-bowl for most of the year. Pity we couldn't increase average rainfalls by at least 50%

 

[Kimosabi]

Pissing down in Adelaide as we speak, and right across SA...Most significant rain event for over a year is predicted in this region.

'bout bloddy time.

Australia is an awesome country, except for being such a dust-bowl for most of the year. Pity we couldn't increase average rainfalls by at least 50%

This time tomorrow, SA will probably be a flood-bowl with that much widespread rain.

 

[Smurf1976]

You are probably right, but isn't all water in a sense recycled?

I was referring to the attitude that we don't want to do whatever is required to fix the problem.

Yes all water is ultimately recycled by nature - it's a 100% renewable resource.

 

[2020hindsight]

You are probably right, but isn't all water in a sense recycled?

speaking of recycling water - some fellow in the bush was interviewed on ABC couple of days ago ... he recycles 100% of his water.

As he put it... "the only water that doesn't get recycled is what is trapped in the clothes I hang on the line, and is lost to evaporation" Now there's a purist.