It has been very wet in Brisbane over the last couple of days. But not as wet as on the Gold Coast where over 400mm has fallen over the last 24 hours. The Hinze Dam, that supplies the Gold Coast, is predicted to fill completely some time this evening. But there has not been much runoff into the three dams that supply Brisbane the Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pines dams.
Nevertheless there is a feeling that the recent drought has finally broken.
But, I would argue, now is not the time to stop thinking about new water infrastructure. It is unlikely to keep raining, while the population in the SE of Queensland is predicted to keep growing.
It was only two months ago, on the 27th April that Queensland’s Premier Beattie and Treasurer Mackenroth announced water projects worth more than $2.3 billion including a new dam and possible desalination plant as part of a grand SE Queensland Infrastructure Plan.
After perusing the plan and wondering how much extra water the projects listed in Table 6 of the glossy were likely to deliver, I phoned my local state member Ronan Lee MP and asked him a few questions including how much extra water the projects listed in the Infrastructure Plan (including the dam and desal plant) were likely to deliver.
Ronan Lee couldn’t answer my questions. He said if I sent him an email he would have a go at finding out, or forward the information to the Premier.
I sent an email off on 5th May.
On 30th May I received an email from the Premier’s Chief of Staff letting me know that the issues I raised had been noted and fall within the responsibilities of both the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines and they would all have a go at answering them.
Then just today, 30th June, I received an email from the Treasurer telling me that my email “seeks information on the amount of water that the projects identified in the Infrastructure Plan and Program will deliver”. That was one of my questions.
The email then went on to tell me that this question would be answered by the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines.
You wouldn’t want to be in a hurry!
While I can understand that my local member, the Premier’s Chief of Staff and the Queensland Treasurer, may not know the answer, you would think they could easily find it out/give me the name and number of someone who does?
Indicative information about storage capacity etcetera should have been in the glossy document launched on 27th April.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
Hinze Dam – conjours up a few images – must be a LARGE dam 🙂
Might be pertinent to enquire how Qatar supplies it water requirements, or other Gulf States.
Water Flowing up the Mountain
It is simply ridiculous that we are considering the massive financial and environmental expense of building more dams in South-east Queensland when we have done so little to develop the infrastructure to reuse the water we consume with such profligac…
I don’t think the current state government is particularly concerned with the ‘actual’ amounts of water the proposed dam projects will produce. As long as the figures look good on glossy paper and ‘appear’ to be a solution to a very serious problem. Unfortunately, for Queensland the current administartion will be long gone before the consequences of their ineptitude hits home.
This type of government mismanagement and ‘rhetoric’ over results is sadly not limited to water infrastructure. It applies to our hospitals, roads, electricity networks, our justice system along with a host of other environmental regulations.
The current government claims to know all the problems and assures us they know all the solutions to fix the problems. Funny, because when they are asked for specific anwers they can’t seem to find them.
But they will look in to it! In Qld we need alot less looking and a lot more doing.
I WAS BORN IN QUEENSLAND IN 1964 AND DURING THAT TIME TO THIS I HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES IN THAT TIME.I TRUELY FEEL THAT THE ANSWER TO OUR WATER PROBLEM DOES NOT COME FROM BUILDING MORE DAMS BUT IN TRING TO REBIULD THE ENVIRONMENT BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE. AROUND MY AREA ALONE THE RATE OF TREES AND LAND BEING CLEARED IS PRETTY REDICULOUS,
AND WITH THE EMPHISIS ON MONEY AND POSSESSIONS BEING PARAMOUNT, THE IDEAR THAT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND THE CHANGES MAY HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR WEATHER HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN. I KNOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE QUEENSLAND AND LIKE TO MOVE HERE BUT IT IS TIME THAT WE TOOK STOCK OF THE SITUATION AND STARTED DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I AM NOT A GREENY AS SUCH BUT A VERY WORRIED LOCAL WHO HAS SEEN WHAT IS HAPPENING THANKYOU FOR READING THIS EMAIL REGARDS JENEVIEVE