wet feet in Mannum

[T1 Terry]

Part of my planned tour at the end of March is a stint on the RiverPrincess, out from Mannum for 3 days.
I'm wondering just what the river levels are going to be then as it is/was a highlight of the tour
I just hope it's not like our planned trip through Horizontal Falls in the Kimberleys, canceled when some numpty hurt a few tourists.
That spoiled that part of the trip.
Although I do have a lot of sympathy for the flooded people and businesses I would like to complete a full tour ONCE !


Ron

Even if the Darling runs at 20km/h down from Menindee and then on down the Murray to Mannum where it is tied up at he moment, it would still be in flood at some level until April at least. Because the river is at different widths in different parts, there is no way of knowing just how fast it is flowing over all, just the number of gigalitres per day and that is really a bit of a guess because of the width of the river at the moment at the points where they measure it.
This photo download/file.php?id=11434&mode=view showing the flood tree also shows the tops of the bollards the Murray Princess is normally tied up, they have a wharf attached to them ........ They drove in what appeared to extremely long pillions further out in the river, the Princess is now tied up to them and there is maybe another mtr left before that would be a problem with the edge of the deck section going over the top of the bollard and the waves the wind generates smashing it to pieces .......
Basically, I doubt the river will be at a level or speed through some of the narrower sections that the Princess could navigate it, or even get back up if it went down stream. Then there is all the logs and things floating in the river, including sheds, containers, water tanks and trees still standing upright but but clearly floating and heading down stream ...... Maybe June/July ...... no one knows any more and if any of the catchment area get more rain in the next 6 mths, that will just add to the problem, every where the river has flooded to is soaked, so it can no longer hold any of the water back .....

There are parts on the river just around Mannum that you can't really identify where the actual river bank is and the flood plans begin, yet there are quite tall trees, or at least there were before the flood, growing along the banks ..... they closed the river to any non essential water traffic for a reason ...... I doubt any of the ferries are up and running again yet ......

T1 Terry

T1 Terry

[T1 Terry]

The first signs of the Menindee level dropping and the first signs of the level rising at Pooncarie 295 river kms away ...... it is another 230 river kms to Wentworth from there, so maybe early to mid Feb it should reach Wentworth ...... from there on down I reckon it will be like a wall of water coming down the Murray, anywhere the water has drained out from as this peak starts to drain away will still be saturated so the water will return to the peak level very quickly ..... all the way down the river. Down this part of the river the drop is barely noticeable because there is still so much water up river to drain away .... it will be interesting to see just how much it drops before the lot from the Darling reaches Wentworth.

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

Is the monsoonal rain that they are currently getting up in central Qld going to have any flow on effect down south, or does all that go through to Lake Eyre?

[jon_d]

Dave, I don't think so.

murray-darling-map-WEB.jpg

[Keith Morris]

Is the monsoonal rain that they are currently getting up in central Qld going to have any flow on effect down south, or does all that go through to Lake Eyre?

Dave, they say that there wil be over 400ml in the next 24 hours up this way.
I'd better rush down to IGA and fill up with Cadbury Chocolates, and other sweet sucky things as recommended by T-1 recently, and a selection of Coles frozen meals as recommended by Petals long ago.
Keith.

[Keith Morris]

My housekeeper told me that her Neighbour was caught between two creek crossings near Claremont and Her plus her two small kids had to be airlifted out by rescue chopper.
She said that there was no water on the road when she drove over the creek crossings, and within one hour they were both roaring torrents.
We may be in for it for the next week. The temp outside is only 23c, so forget the Bulla ice cream as comfort food.
Keith.

[supersparky]

Dave, I don't think so.

murray-darling-map-WEB.jpg

It looks like it's either going to run out to sea or come down through Channel country and evaporate in Lake Eyre.
I reckon those that live on the Murray have had enough for a while.

[jon_d]

And you know what; the dam overflow at Taggerty finds its way to Mannum too. Might put a message in a bottle and sent it to Terry.

[supersparky]

And you know what; the dam overflow at Taggerty finds its way to Mannum too. Might put a message in a bottle and sent it to Terry.

Might get there by Christmas next year. It's a lot of river miles from Taggerty to Manum. And about 9 locks and a few weirs. But it's worth a try.

[Dot]

And you know what; the dam overflow at Taggerty finds its way to Mannum too. Might put a message in a bottle and sent it to Terry.

Plastic or glass bottle? go on give it a try Nigel