Merged: Queensland Floods

[Skynews]

I was just watching TV about the flooding at Towoomba, they showed an aircraft, Cessna 206 or similar, floating down stream.
I am assuming that it probably started at the main airport and therefore there are probably other aircraft damaged?

How did all the War Birds fare?

[rioncentu]

Absolutely shocking events there yesterday. I wonder if the death toll will continue to rise from the estimated 8 at the moment.

The relatively "slow" floods that half the state is in the grip of at the moment are nothing compared to what those folk went through.

I saw what looked like a Jabiru floating and I am guessing that was from further down the hill towards Gatton.

[Flying Binghi]

Some interesting comments reference dam levels and water release volumes etc over at Marohasy's - Jennifer Marohasy Brisbane Valley Being Evaculated (http://jennifermarohasy.com/blog/2011/01/brisbane-valley-being-evaculated/)


Edit to add - To put the current TWB floods in context do a search of "trove.nla.gov.au", enter "floods toowoomba"

"... Toowoomba, February 18, (1893) It has rained incessantly in torrents here from Thursday afternoon until 6 o'clock last night, when the floodwaters reached the highest level ever known at Toowoomba.

Not only in Russell street was the flood higher than ever known before, but on East Swamp the waters, unprecedentedly their height, broke over Ruthven-street bridge, and the torrent of water caused a breakdown to occur on the bridge on the western side.

McCook's store, the Fruit Preserving Company's premises, and Stirling's coach factory are all flooded, and Stirling has suffered great loss. In Russell street one house collapsed, and in another building the inmates were rescued from the balcony. The destruction to roads and bridges is very great. On West Swamp five bridges collapsed, and the water came down, the western slopes of the main range 3 ft. deep.

Yesterday afternoon a landslip occurred on the main range. Hoppermann House slipped down a gully 200 yards, and other houses are in jeopardy. The forked railway bridge entering Toowoomba is declared to be unsafe, as its approaches are damaged The waterpipes are cut off at East Swamp, and the town is now without water..."

Newspaper Page (http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/2457170?zoomLevel=1&searchTerm=floods)




.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

My grandparents lived in a house in Geddes St just up from the Herries St intersection, and overlooking West Ck and the Herries St bridge. In the 55+ yrs that I have been conscious of that part of the world, I have never seen or heard of anything like this.

The weather in SE Qld is atrocious! Big storms dumping large amounts of rainfall on an already saturated landscape.

I was talking on the phone this morning with a friend who lives at Hattonvale, between Gatton and Ipswich. They abandoned their house at 5 am this morning following a deluge from a thunderstorm and moved to a neighbours house 200 m away on higher ground. Their house now has water through it, but all are safe - family, dogs and horses!

This had nothing to do with the Toowoomba rain and the water going down Lockyer Ck - just a local event!

Unfortunately it is not over yet! All of the water on the western side of the range is headed for Dalby, Chinchilla, Condamine, Surat, St George etc, and the rest is headed for Ipswich and Brisbane. Water is flowing into Wivenhoe Dam, already at 150+% capacity, at 10x the rate at which they can let it out!

Dr :8

[Ultralights]

http://www.recreationalflying.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=20052&d=1294701002

[Tankengine]

There is a strip near Withcott at the bottom of the range, A/C may be from there. Parachute strip [with Cessna 182?] further east is on floodplain as well!
Isn't there an Airpark at Gatton?
Unfortunately floodplains make good airfields.
Lets hope the wivenhoe engineers did a strong enough job!:ooh:

[rioncentu]

Wivenhoe passed 170% capacity now :mad:

[VH-XXX]

That Jabiru should float ok though. They can pick it up down stream or out in the bay in a few days.

[Ultralights]

just heard from our friends at Oakey, Brisbane river has broken its banks, and the dam is at 170% and rising, even with the emergency spillway at full capacity.

brisbane is about to get very wet indeed. especially looking at the radar with heavy rainfall been continuous now for 3 hrs and showing no sign of letting up.

http://a.yfrog.com/img619/7546/mm5bs.jpg
10 mins ago

[airsupport]

Yes, Brisbane itself is now under threat too, mass evacuations of low lying areas, talk of stopping all public transport, and it is expected to get much worse tomorrow and Thursday.

PS... Just to keep it aviation related, talk also that they may even have to close Brisbane Airport.

[Flying Binghi]

Time to fill the water jugs up and check the larder.




.

[nomorecatering]

Im just wondering what the staff at the desal plant will be doing for a while.

Hope they have a large stock of DVD's.

[rioncentu]

Staff at the desal plant - That cracked me up :D

Rises to greater than 1974 now expected. Hold on folks.:{

[criticalmass]

Looks like a Jab 230, they float really well, especially if the wing fuel-tanks are empty. Owner can collect once floods abate, hose off, wash inside engine-bay, pull plugs, turn over by hand to see if any water inside, if not should be good to go.

If water in engine it can join my engine at Jabiru for a rebuild. :(

[Jabiman]

Im just wondering what the staff at the desal plant will be doing for a while.
As silly as it sounds, clean fresh water is actually in short supply during a flood.

[Horatio Leafblower]

...What's the status of the Virgin offices? They are pretty close to the creek (and isn't there an underground carpark?)

[ReverseFlight]

8 drown in flash floods in Australia - CNN.com (http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/10/australia.floods/index.html?hpt=T1)

Authorities there are conducting several search-and-rescue operations, and Australia's military has committed four helicopters to those efforts

Four army choppers is hardly enough. I hope the civies are helping at this time of crisis. Our government must throw all the usual rules out the window and act fast.

[Mick.B]

How is Amberley going. How far above the flood threat is that.

[Tankengine]

Amberley should be fine but isolated due highway cut. About 100 Air Force cadets and staff stuck there along with PAF staff.

[catseye]

Mate....

Far more resources avbl than 4 blackhawks. Seakings and GA have been working for weeks.

Catseye

[Ando1Bar]

Rob,

No NOTAM as yet, where did you hear this?

[PyroTek]

My whiz-bang flight tracker still shows movements happening at YBBN.
And as Ando1Bar said, No NOTAM indicates such a situation.

[Pilotette]

Still seeing aircraft passing overhead on departure..hope it doesn't close as I have a red-eye flight out of Brisbane in the morning. Actually getting to the airport might be the problem now though!

[Worrals in the wilds]

PS... Just to keep it aviation related, talk also that they may even have to close Brisbane Airport.

Brisbane is definitely still open, there was no flooding today beyond some standing water on the aprons. They are anticipating flooding on some of the commercial southern airport land tonight or tomorrow, but not the runway or vital TWYs. I heard that Amberley is closed.

All the best to people in the Toowoomba district. There are some dreadful scenes on TV. :sad:

[beat ups are fun]

I hate to say it but the availablity of avgas and A1 will be a problem in the next few days in these flood effected areas. Hopefully this won't effect the rescue efforts to much.

[airsupport]

Quote:
PS... Just to keep it aviation related, talk also that they may even have to close Brisbane Airport.

Brisbane is definitely still open, there was no flooding today beyond some standing water on the aprons. They are anticipating flooding on some of the commercial southern airport land tonight or tomorrow, but not the runway or vital TWYs. I heard that Amberley is closed.

Maybe not yet, but possibly tomorrow or even Thursday afternoon which will be the peak of the flooding.

The old airport was closed in 1974 for the floods and these are supposed to be going to be worse than the 1974 ones by Thursday. :(

[Ando1Bar]

Brisbane airport to stay open:

Brisbane Airport to stay open amid Queensland flood crisis | Latest news on the Queensland Floods | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/floodrelief/brisbane-airport-to-stay-open-amid-queensland-flood-crisis/story-fn7ik2te-1225985852571)

[F111]

Anyone know why the Army isn't using the Chinooks to help with the large scale evacs?

[Worrals in the wilds]

The old airport was closed in 1974 for the floods and these are supposed to be going to be worse than the 1974 ones by Thursday. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/sowee.gif

The old airport was to the south west of the new airport on lower ground (in the vicinity of P TWY and south of Lomandra Drive) and that land is expected to flood. I understand that it was one of the reasons that the new runways were built further north and higher. 01/19 is supposed to be Armageddon proof (just ask the engineers :}) and even if there is flooding on some taxiways there should still be a route to both major aprons.

Anways, fingers crossed for YBBN!

[leffe]

Hope all is well Grogmonster....

[Critical Reynolds No]

Most of the chooks are in the sand pit AFAIK.

[F111]

Thanks Critical Reynolds, I thought there were only 2 over there.

[Fonz121]

Disaster recovery assistance for communities affected by flooding, severe storms and fires - Initiatives - The Premier of Queensland (http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/initiatives/disaster_recovery/donations.aspx)



Interesting to see Etihad has donated (or pledged to) $1,000,000 and Qantas $500,000.

[Cool banana]

Here is the project flooding map expected on Thursday.
Just heared they have just closed the Port of Brisbane.
http://lexiphanic.com/floodmaps/flooding_eagle_farm_airport_flood_flag_map.pdf

[Ultralights]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs740.ash1/163286_481252997692_675692692_6447665_7167616_n.jpg

note the roundabout up the top there..
24 hrs later
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs007.snc6/165706_481777802692_675692692_6458015_6455828_n.jpg

this evening, just downstream of the wivenhoe
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs076.snc6/168635_482260022692_675692692_6465975_6267650_n.jpg

the street lamp also helps gives perspective...
wonder if the bridge will survive?

[Kulwin Park]

Flown into Toowoomba, and totally amazed as to how that place could flood like that??!!!!!!! I have a couple of associates and friends there - they're ok - but I've heard some crazy stories already.

Is anyone flying from Goldie to Sunny Coast in next few days?? And could fit a female passenger in. She desperately wants to get home, but without her car on Goldie, and all trains/buses on stop for a week, and I believe that Caboolture highway closed nearby. PM me please if you maybe flying up there to Maroochydore and wouldn't mind a cute girl who loves a chat for your flight. Thanx KP

[eocvictim]

Great perspective of the depth. Quite incredible!

[maliyahsdad2]

Wow! To put a bit more perspective on the pictures above I have found a picture of Mount Crosby Weir in quieter times.
http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/gallery/MtCrosbyWeir.jpg

[Jabawocky]

YBBN should be right but YBAF is possibly going to be affected.

You need to zoom in a bit!

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201101/r700545_5364857.pdf

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201101/r700540_5364790.pdf

[ReverseFlight]

Thank goodness my prayers have been answered since my previous post #17: Defence to bring in more helicopters (http://www.theage.com.au/environment/defence-to-bring-in-more-helicopters-20110111-19mov.html)

Mr Smith said two more Black Hawks had been assigned. Four Kiowa light helicopters, which Mr Smith said were well suited for the operation and search and rescue, would be deployed to Amberley RAAF base. The extra helicopters are expected to be available this morning.

[Dora-9]

Any news of Caboolture Airfield?

Reported at 1100 yesterday as "water lapping up to hangar doors".

[Jabawocky]

YCAB Inspection last night revealed no water had entered our hangar, the field is quite high relatively speaking at 40' above sea level. It is also just a high spot.

Dora-9,

Last night the field looked no different to the last few weeks. There may have been the odd hangar with water lapping at the doors but this is just typical of any local rainfall of which yesterday there was a lot at YCAB.

Might be a bit boggy for those with aircraft tied down outside....but not flooding like YBRK.

I would think a few days from now it will be ops normal. The runways normally cope with any rain, but I think right now if anyone lands they will find it soft and muddy, the taxiways will be hard to get to as the edges will be the problem.

Holes full of water are a prop strike risk too for some a/c.

[osmosis]

YouTube - Toowoomba Flood 2011.01.10 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYUpkPTcqPY&feature=player_embedded)

[peuce]

..What's the status of the Virgin offices?

A friend who works there advised that they shut up shop yesterday. I also believe that you can't get to the Brekky Creek Pub !!!!!

[Arm out the window]

Anyone live near the rail yards in Acacia Ridge and able to comment on whether they are flooding?

Apparently our household contents (which were to be delivered to North QLD this coming Monday following a removal from Victoria) are in containers in the Brisbane rail yard there as we speak, and we don't know what's going on with them. The removal company can't say, as things are pretty confused there at the moment.

Small problems compared to those who've had family hurt or lost, but any info would be appreciated.

[tail wheel]

I also believe that you can't get to the Brekky Creek Pub !!!!!

Doubt it will be under yet. This morning I spoke to someone with an office in the lower level of the building across Brekkie Creek from the Pub (below the restaurant) and they had water lapping at the door but expect it to rise to the ceiling in the flood peak tomorrow. I suspect the Pub would be higher but the roads will be cut or closed.

[Jabawocky]

Won't be long Taillie........where you been of late? Been Quiet around here :E

[Mick.B]

Amberley ATIS

RWY 15/33 N TWY A3 NOT AVBL
DUE FLOODING
RWY 04/22 E RWY 15/33 NOT AVBL DUE FLOODING
TWY A N TWY F3 NOT AVBL DUE FLOODING
TWY D NOT AVBL DUE FLOODING
TWY A BTN TWY A2 AND TWY J NOT AVBL DUE ACFT PRKG
AMBERLEY (YAMB) AD USE AT PILOT DISCRETION, SUBJECT TO FLOODING
FROM 01 111115 TO 01 122100 EST

[airsupport]

They are now saying the floods in BNE will peak at 0400 tomorrow morning.

[catseye]

air support,

the brisbane river is tidal so the 0400 problem will be the next high tide. Thursday's tide heights are more of a worry. :{


Other problems is the paging system for emergency services is failing.

[Ando1Bar]

Just back from another marathon shift at work (Brisbane Approach).

Some good cooperation today from RPT pilots to facilitate Flood Relief aircraft who were forced to operate VFR in marginal conditions in the vicinity of BN. Thanks for your understanding.

Quite a few ATC staff could not make it to work, or home, so like a lot of places resources are a little stretched.


P-Dubby, thanks must also go to the ATC guys and girls for helping us out earlier in the week. Getting in and out of Brisbane was no fun as we all tried to find the least stressful way through it all.

Flying in from the north on Tuesday morning was 'interesting' given the wall of storms up ahead stretching as far as the eye could see (building far out to sea and stretching far over the western horizon). Gets tricky too when the rain is so heavy you're no longer getting an appreciation of what is really out there on the weather radar.

Nobody can recall when we last had a CAVOK Visual Approaches all round run of 2 days in Brissy!


I can't wait until we get a CAVOK day again. It might be a long wait though - we didn't even have that many over June/August. I must say though it was nice to see some blue sky this morning and not think 'what the #$%^ am I going to hit up ahead'.

[Ultralights]

http://www.recreationalflying.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=20063&d=1294823361

http://www.recreationalflying.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=20062&d=1294823361

[Quokka]

Was a little disappointing to hear Sky News and CH10 reporting the airport closed - it was going full steam all day. Caused a lot of confusion and unnecessary clarification.

The Brisbane Centre boys might want to pack a bikini in the car to get to work in the morning... you'll be swimming if the computer graphic forecast for Brisbane peak flooding shown on tonight's SBS news is correct.

[asw28-866]

On a broader note for ATC, I would like to extend my thanks to all the boys and girls in BN Centre, APP and at the various towers (CG, BN, SU) over the last couple of weeks. The wx has been apalling at times and coupled with the high level of traffic running around for the floods they have been doing sterling work keeping calm heads! Has certainly made my life easier and more comfortable.

Cheers

'866

[Worrals in the wilds]

The Brisbane Centre boys might want to pack a bikini in the car to get to work in the morning...
:eek::eek::eek:

Thank the gods, the flood peaked almost a metre lower than predicted and flooding was less extensive than expected (with none at the airport itself). Still ugly though and there're some very peculiar things floating down the river at the moment.

Gateway Bridges are open again after being closed three times this morning because of concerns about debris | Courier Mail (http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/moggil-ferry-island-party-boat-may-be-sunk-if-they-a-considered-a-risk-of-being-a-danger-to-the-public/story-e6freoof-1225986372966)

[megle2]

BN Airport - no problems even with some low lying access roads


Latest update – no change to the last SITREP sent 1800 hours 12 January 2011.

Latest reports revised down. Tide now to peak at 4.6m. Visual inspection at 3:55am indicates that the water level is dropping. No impact on Lomandra Dr, Sugarmill Rd, Myrtle Town Rd and Eagle Farm Rd.

Please direct any queries to the Incident Coordination Centre.





Incident Coordination Centre

Brisbane Airport Corporation

[reacher]

For anyone interested to see the level of support from Defence aviation assets check out the link below.

Also remember the majority of the S70s (and all their supporting elements) have been deployed since NYE.

Defence Images - FotoWeb 7.0 (http://111.125.172.46/fotoweb/Grid.fwx?position=9&archiveid=5000&columns=4&rows=2&sorting=ModifiedTimeAsc&search=20111605)

[Ultralights]

Sadly all the S70B2's are still on the ground at Nowra, awaiting orders...

[onetrack]

The Wivenhoe Dam has done its job as planned, and the flood level has peaked in Brisbane at 4.46M, well below the 5.5M initially predicted, and way below the 5.45M of the devastating 1974 floods.
However, there's still a substantial amount of submerged properties and buildings.

Flood peak looms - lower than 1974 | Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/flood-peak-looms-lower-than-1974/story-fn7ikbtj-1225986838404)

[Flying Binghi]

"A SECRET report by scientific and engineering experts warned of significantly greater risks of vast destruction from Brisbane River flooding - and raised grave concerns with the Queensland government and the city's council a decade ago.

But the recommendations in the report for radical changes in planning strategy, emergency plans and transparency about the true flood levels for Brisbane were rejected and the report was covered up..."

Alarming report on Brisbane River risks covered up | The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/alarming-report-on-risks-covered-up/story-e6frg6nf-1225986634328)





.

[johnno314159]

Somebody said "Isn't there an airpark at Gatton?". The answer is "Yes".

Seems that many people think it was underwater due the floods, but no, it sits on a ridge and all the houses are built perhaps 30m above the level of the flood plan. No problem, very heavy rain, but no-one was flooded.

Not so the unfortunates further up the valley ... the Jabiru you saw floating away in the TV news was owned by a local doctor, and was hangared at a private strip at Grantham. I understand that it's been written off by the insurer.

Several other aircraft at the strip were also damaged. The owner (of the strip) was lucky to escape with his life. Apparently he's lived there for 50 years and has never seen anything like it previously.

All very surreal.

[harvey6]

Thought you might like to see what a bunch of Gatton Airpark volunteers pulled out of a Grantham shed this morning....

Martinhttp://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x429/spacewalker2/flying/P1050769Large.jpg

[Jabawocky]

................................And as I have said before, just wait until we get a cyclone down the coast :uhoh:

Two cyclones to hit Qld next week: Bligh (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8202964/north-queensland-prepares-for-anthony)

"In a worst-case scenario, Queensland could see two tropical cyclones cross the coast in a matter of three or four days," Ms Bligh told reporters in Brisbane.
The premier admitted the BoM advice was grim news as the state was trying to recovering from heavy rains and damaging floods.
"We're battening down the hatches once more, but we hope both these weather formations disappear out at sea somewhere," she said.
"But on all current modelling, the bureau's best advice is that both of these cyclones will cross the Queensland coast next week, and we have to be ready for that possibility."
Ms Bligh said the BoM was more concerned about the second system, which was likely to be named Yasi by the Fijian government.
It likely to bring substantial rainfall and possibly more flooding across the state.
Ms Bligh urged people to remain calm, but to be prepared and secure their property.
A cyclone watch issued on Friday for communities between Cairns and Bowen is likely to be upgraded to a warning on Saturday.
Ms Bligh will hold a meeting with the state disaster management group at the emergency services headquarters in Brisbane at 5pm (AEST) on Friday.
Deputy police commissioner Ian Stewart has been reappointed as the state disaster

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

"In a worst-case scenario, Queensland could see two tropical cyclones cross the coast in a matter of three or four days,"

Bugger off! The Barra season opens on Tuesday.

Dr :8