12 February 2008

Burdekin Falls Spill Update

“In the last 24 hours we have recorded a 1.6 metres rise over the spillway in a very short period of time and the water level is steadily rising”

Overnight inflow brings big boost to Burdekin Falls Dam capacity
A surge of more than 420,000 megalitres of water has poured into the Burdekin Falls Dam in the past 24 hours.

SunWater spokesperson Glenn Pfluger said the major inflow event had pushed dam capacity to 136.8% and was sending around 311,000 megalitres per day over the spillway.

Mr Pfluger said the dam received a 23.3% increase overnight and was now 2.5 metres over the spillway crest.

“In the last 24 hours we have recorded a 1.6 metres rise over the spillway in a very short period of time and the water level is steadily rising,” Mr Pfluger said

“The dam is currently holding around 2.5 million megalitres and since it spilled on December 28, more than eight million megalitres has poured over the spillway into the Burdekin River.

Mr Pfluger said this was not the largest volume of water to have gone through the system since the dam was constructed, noting that larger inflow events were recorded in the 90s.

“It’s certainly significant but inflow volumes like this are not uncommon for the Burdekin Falls Dam given its catchment area is the size of Victoria,” he said.

Mr Pfluger said the road across the dam spillway was now closed to the public.

Media contact: Glenn Pfluger, Mobile: 0407 574 663