The more you talk to learned residents of Waratah the more you discover about the efficacy (or lack thereof) of TasWater, and their incestuous advisor Entura, with regards to the so called ‘modelling’ that the destruction nee decommissioning of the Waratah Reservoir is based upon. Some examples follow.
At the community meeting on 2 April 2019 a resident queried Entura about the flood modelling details that had been provided prior to the session.
Entura was asked what the impact on future flooding levels of flooding events would be if the Waratah Reservoir no longer existed i.e. was decommissioned?
Entura’s head honchos admitted that ‘Yes’ if there was no Waratah Reservoir dam, all future levels of flooding events would be quicker to occur, higher in level in town and last longer according to their modelling. This clearly means more damage.
Let us look a little more closely.
All Entura’s figures and models state that there will be a significant increase in downstream flood levels and duration if the reservoir is removed, with an estimated higher peak of another 0.7 metre on top of what is estimated if the reservoir wasn’t removed.
For example, Smith Street (the main road through the township) will overtop with a 1:5AEP flood event if the reservoir is decommissioned, but it would not overtop until a 1:20AEP flood event with the reservoir still in place. Therefore, the reservoir gives the town 4 times the flood mitigation protection.
And what would be the cost of a 1:5AEP flood event in terms of repair, tourism impact, community economic decline.
And the biggest impact of course would be the ??? days to reopen the road to Savage River mine and the direct economic impact on Grange Resources and the state economy?
All of the above were threatened in the relatively mild flood of 2016 according to a respected local. But wait there is more to consider.
What about the small, town weir – the primary (only) source of town water, the treatment plant provider, and when needed the TFS who is now unable to draw water from the drained Reservoir. I’ll talk about helibombers later!
There is an existing ‘weir wall’ under the walk bridge to the playground park – see photo.
The weir is constructed with small ‘planks’ contained by rusted angle iron brackets and held in place only by water pressure. This structure will eventually fail – because the council refuses to repair. If it does – due the 1:5AED flood event – Waratah will instantly be without any water, with no reservoir to refill it if they decommission the upstream Reservoir dam wall.
How long, how many $$$ to reinstate normalcy? Lots of bottled water will be needed methinks! And did TasWater or Entura review the lower weir impact – of course not!
How do you spell schemozzle? And as for firefighting?
With the current state of the Reservoir as modified by TasWater since 2015 the local volunteer Fire Service is unable to load its tanker due the lower level – impossible if decommissioned.
It is able to withdraw water from the town storage, but in doing so in 2018 the entire system was immobilised, and the pumps did not work. The treatment plant was also unable to operate. Helibombers are unable to utilise the reservoir and withdrawal from the town storage has the same impact – let alone considering the safety of helibombers operating above a caravan park full of tourists. They have to travel some 20kms to Parawee to load.
A brilliant accomplishment by TasWater. And do they actually own the infrastructure they have demolished? Who allows them to do what they have done and why?
