74 Floods Water levels

[adamleah]

Guys,

I'm looking at buying a house and wanting to know if it got flooded in 1974.... Does anyone have any links to sites that have plans showing what areas were affected?

Just wanna know if I need to put a pontoon off the deck... ;D

Thanks in advance ...

Adam

[Dr_Dan]

GO down the local pub and speak to the resident old folks! Would probably be more than happy to talk about "them floods of '74"

[PinHead]

Us old timers can remember the flood quite well...I doubt there will be a repeat of that again Adam..there was no Wivenhoe damming the Brisbane River then and that was the cause of a lot of the flooding combined with king tides and that bloody cyclone parked just off the coast.

[bungie]

Which suburb mate ??

[ken4159]

where are you looking at buying Adam

Ken

[Jeremy]

You can get that info from the Brisbane City Council. Not sure about over the phone, but definitely from their office.

Jeremy

[adamleah]

Thorneside .... is the suburb I have been looking at , at present... and the houses are fairly low on the tingalpa ck side ......
Thought they may have gone under there?????

Will check with redland shire council today ....My guess is that they will want to charge me for that kinda info...

Nothings free!!

[SeaHunt]

I don't know about down there, but a whole bunch of new houses have been built in areas that were 3 or 4 metres under water in January 74.
They say it cannot happen again because they built Wivenhoe Dam, but what if it rains really heavy for a week or so and the dam is full , and then it rains for another week or so? They will have to let it overflow or let it out, the water has to go somewhere. It will happen again , might take another 50 years but it will happen.
In the 74 flood the water was up to the level of the Indooroopilly bridge about 1 metre under the Centenary Highway bridge and up into the second story of the Regatta hotel.
On the outside wall of the Regatta hotel there are marks indicating exactly where the water level reached in the various floods. I think the one in 1906 (not sure exactly) was about 2 metres higher than the 74 one, and noone knows what happened before us whities got here. # ::)

[Hooker1]

Adam,

I used to live in Murray st Birkdale. Just around from Thornside (still in Waterloo bay). The water came 3/4 the way up this street to about number 13 (according to the neighbours that were there at the time). Thornside has Tingalpa creek which is dammed for the Redlands water supply. The storm surge may be a problem in some areas of Thornside if a high tide, flood waters and strong winds combine?

[bugman]

Adam,

My old office here at the ABC would have had me sitting in chest deep water during the 74 flood. It's permantly marked on the wall and survives every paint. I'm ok now because I'm on the second floor. ;D

We got a search through Brissy council done for our house at Fairfield. We seem a long way away from the river but the line was 20 cm's into our front yard - hard to beleive and worth while checking out.

Brett

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

My old office here at the ABC would have had me sitting in chest deep water during the 74 flood. ... I'm ok now because I'm on the second floor. ;D



so its true Brett that the scum rises to the surface #:-X ;) ;D ;D jokes just jokes ...

I was a 7 yr old pup when that '74 storm started pouring on brisbane & surrounds. I was "helping" my old man do work around my Nanna's place in a little logging town called Cooran south of Gympie.

I just remenbering him hearing that the creeks were rising grabbing me & getting me in the car & taking off to get home - my job, I was told, was to stay awake & keep talkng (i don't know if the talking was to keep Dad awake or just to take my mind off the storm but took us almost 6hrs to get home (normally a 2 hr trip). I faded coming up Beatty Rd, I learned later, within sight of finishing my job.

After the flood there were bargains everywhere - my old man bought two new water effected industrial drills for a few #of bucks - he broke them down & cleaned them up - the one he kept I own today - still going strong.

It was one of those events of such excitement as a kid that its burned in my memory forever - that & the kinship with my Dad as we battled the 50 year storm #:o.

I have heard it signifigantly altered Jumpinpins setup as well to put a fishing twist on the thread.

Oh yeah - the dotted line exists on most developmental survey maps outlining the level. Not to be relied on though as the nature of the runoff aspect around Brisbane has changed markedly.

chris

[gunna]

My mate had a house about 50 yards from the boat ramp at the mouth of Tingalpa at Thorneside. It stayed dry.

[Dug]

Just make sure you have good flood insurance!! I was boating round Brisbane streets in '74 and Margo's roof was just above the water & '74 was just a baby flood by geological records and with global warming and the rise in sea levels there will be worse.

Rent "the day after tomorrow" #Not exactly accurate but things could get much worse. #We now live in a low canal area on reclaimed swamp we have a boat and a "bug out" plan. #If the worst does happen then at least we know where to start where to go and what to take.

Have a talk to your local SES about their plans too, they should have some idea. The City Council will just give you the good news and what you need to know the worst possible scenario.

Anywhere you live has risks you just need to be aware of them and factor them into your planning as much as possible.

[Dug]

PS Rockhampton '91 ten days taking stuff in boats in and out of the city because it was totally cut off by floodwater.

[Big_Kev]

I can remember floating around the back yard on the surf board.
It was good to get out from the house, after being cooped up for weeks.
If you go for a run up to Wivenhoe at the minute you will see the spillway being modified for the one in a hundred year flood.
Which I would interpret we are overdue for a big one.
There will be some unhappy campers around if we did get another flood the magnitude or greater of the 74 flood.
My approach Adds is to always buy houses up on the top of the hill. It has worked for me sp far, but then we have'nt had a flodd since I have owned a house. Oh shit now my roof will blow off for sure. (jinxed myself LOL)
Cheers Kev. 8)

[PinHead]

Brett...your place would have had some water i nthe yard but nothing too serious there..I can remember being on the top of Fairfield Road, cemetery end and looking down the road and the power poles were under water..it was there that a defence force amphibious vehicle got stuck...an officer jumped overboard to find out what was stopping them..it was the power lines..alas the officer got electrocuted. The water was lapping at the steps of Festival Hall in Albert Street..the Story bridge was the only Bridge open into the city..the Robert Miller was parked across the river...so many things happened then. I still doubt it will happen again...even with the so called global warming...which will not have any detrimental effects in out lifetime.

[Chrisso]

I reakon we're due for some sort of flood soon. Only opinion but. Should find out what those in the know reakon, but I believe we've had a pretty dry time of it the last 5 yrs and dry periods usually get broken by large amounts of rain.

Mm, I am totaly unqualified (don't trust me), but i reakon next year is the one. Gut instinct tells me. ???

Lets hope not though. :o

In 74 my parent were in a set of flats. They just watched the water rise, and rise, and rise, and break the river bank. The water filled the ground level, then the next and so on. Everyone in the flats kept moving up a level. :o

Regards

Chris

[Glug]

I was lucky 1974 was going to move to Brisbane and got a phone call telling me not to come as the company I was going to work for was under water. I had to find a new job in Sydney, then same thing with cyclone tracy. Only Tracy arrived before I did, so I was looking for a new job again.

Japan just copped a big one and one city that was never to be flooded again ended up with 90% of the city flooded. Flood prevention dykes were breached and dams had to be opened because they were overflowing. This typhoon reminded me why beach front land was once cheap, a sea wall was washed away and chunks of concrete weighing maybe 2 ton were washed into the houses they were supposed to be protecting.

Cyclones are linked to water temperatures get a hot summer and you can expect cyclones, so you maybe right Chris.

Japan had it hottest summer on record and largest number of typhoons on record with 23 hitting the Southern islands and I think 10 hitting the main land.

[GES]

Recently, the Dominican Republic and the southern part of the USA got devastated with a series of Hurricanes in a short time span.
I wouldn't be too sure about us not getting another flood like the 74 one, sometime in the foreseeable future.
I was living and working in Tewantin about that early 70's time and I remember the cyclone that came through there. Shook everyone up with the intensity of the wind and volume of rain. It tore out trees in my yard and ripped a protective canvas cover I had on my boat to shreds. And that was only a small cyclone on the scale of things. Frightening things to go through.
I'd be very careful about the strength of the structure and the flood proneness of any property I bought anywhere in the vacinity of the coastal fringe or anywhere near a watercourse anywhere.
Check out every aspect of flood heights that you can, is my advice, including the highest that is possible in the area... even if they charge you for the information.
As for flood insurance. I think that if you are in any area that actually needs flood insurance, either the premiums will be prohibative or the insurance companies won't take you on.
Better to make a decision based on actual flood history and projected possibility of flood, concerning the place before you lay out your money mate.

GES

[lordy]

Wivenhoe Dam

Wivenhoe Dam, originally built in 1985 and located approximately 80km north west of Brisbane, is South East Queensland’s primary domestic water supply storage. The dam structure itself is a central core earth and rock fill embankment; 56m high with a concrete gravity spillway including five radial gates, which are 12m wide and 16m high. The storage capacity of the dam is 1,165GL with a further 1,450GL of flood provision.

In March 2004, the Board of SEQWater approved the construction of a 165m wide Fuse Plug spillway on the dam’s right abutment together with development of a new traffic bridge over the additional spillway, post-tensioning to the

Wivenhoe Dam Diversion
existing dam structure, and replacement of the concrete crash barrier along the upstream side of the dam wall. The total estimated cost of the project is $70 million.

SEQWater elected to undertake this project in response to new information released by the Bureau of Meteorology indicating an increase in the Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) and the resultant Probable Maximum Flood (PMF). The Wivenhoe Alliance was formed to undertake the project on behalf of SEQWater and includes personnel from SEQWater, Leighton Contractors, Coffey Geosciences, MWH Global and Department of Commerce, NSW.

Approximately 50% of the bulk excavation works for the additional spillway have been completed and works on the concrete structures within the chute have also commenced. Work is expected to be completed by February 2006.

I think Wivenhoe was modified from a 1 in 100 year capable dam to a 1 in 10000 year capable dam. I still wouldn't trust it. Two cyclones in quick succession, one to fill and one to flood and its all over for the low lying houses. 20-30 years ago you couldn't give away the low lying land around Brisbane, but it in 30 years people forget and believe it'll never happen again.

Wivenhoe dam also doesn't stop the water coming in from other rivers like the Bremer.

here is a good site with a few graphs
http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/brochures/brisbane_upper/brisbane_upper_above_wivenhoe_dam.shtml


http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/brochures/brisbane_lower/brisbane_lower.shtml
Check out the flood from around the 1890s. Makes 74 look like a 1/2 banker.

[Maria]

PS Rockhampton '91 #ten days taking stuff in boats in and out of the city because it was totally cut off by floodwater.

I remember that one all too well. Was only 7 at the time, but quite an adventure to say the least. Had quite a view from our house on Victoria Parade overlooking the river. Was sitting up on the verandah one morning watching debris float down the river - trees, logs, rubbish etc when we noticed a few of the "logs" on the surface were moving ;D...swimming in the current actually.

Ben

[MY-TopEnder]

Ah the '74 Floods... i've heard a few horror stories about them. The old man was only a young bloke and his older brother had an MG that went under.. the water was basically up to the roof in their Fairfield house. There were stories of mud being so thick on everything... and i am still convinced my grandmother knows every single little thing in their house that survived the floods.

Apparently even our area here in Coopers Plains was up a few feet of water, which would explain the big flood ridge in the local park.

[adamleah]

Well guys,,,,After speaking with locals ,,,, the house was far from being under in 74...

So I purchased it this afternoon.... ;D ... now whos going to rob a bank to pay it off for me??

[dfox]

good one adam!! whens my invertation to the house warming party due!! [smiley=jester.gif] [smiley=jester.gif] [smiley=laola.gif] [smiley=balloon2.gif] [smiley=balloon2.gif] [smiley=balloon2.gif] [smiley=laola.gif] [smiley=guitarist.gif] [smiley=dunce.gif] [smiley=dunce.gif] [smiley=dunce.gif] [smiley=laola.gif] [smiley=jester.gif] [smiley=jester.gif] [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=guitarist.gif]

[Dug]

Is that anywhere near the toxic waste dump and nuclear reprocessing plant going in that area Adam? :-X :-X :-X :-X ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Yep they are sure going to put that sucker above the flood line so you should be OK there.


ONLY JOKING!!!! hope everything goes well for you is it your first home?

[Dug]

PS anyone robs a bank using a fishing rod we will know where to look. :D

[Chrisso]

or a gaff #:o #:-X

Nah, fisho's are quite placid people. (Thoughts of ramp rage run riot through my dead) #::)

Good luck with the new house Adam ;)

[Burley_Boy]

on ya Adam.
Now what about bushfire??
;D
Only kidding, good luck to ya mate, I'm on the Gold Coast and reckon I'll need my boat if the shit hits the fan. Every new property around us has been raised to new flood levels ensuring that if it hits we will surely be the first to go under. Thats flood mitigation by dickheads if you ask me... ,many wouldn't! ::)

[adamleah]

nahhh not my first ....Third...

The market is very high for the people out there buying there first properties, dunno how people can afford to get that much in debt?? ...just lucky I got my first one 5 yrs back before the boom ;D ;D

Adam

[blaze]

3rd in five years, bloody heck some people must like moving, I would need a flat tray semi just for the shed, been here 20 years and staying put
cheers
blaze

[Dug]

You heard about the guy walking along the road with a sheet of corrugated iron and a carton of beer?

The wife got the kids but he got the home and contents.

[charleville]

I was at uni at the time and remember a lecturer whose house went through the floods and he said that he could not sleep whenever it rained over the next few months after that.

My wife's parent's house in Ipswich was a long way from water but it still came up to their top steps and that was a fairly high house. The road to Ipswich was impassable.

The PMG (Telstra) technicians repairing the phones said that any house that went under and had gyprock walls were left with just the studs inside - ie all the gyprock disappeared off the walls.

Of course, part of the reason that it was so bad was that the big ship being built at the drydock at Kangaroo Point (now "Dockside")turned sideways in the current and effectively dammed the river at that point.

[Cloud_9]

I lived a fairfield and so did my grandma. her house went under but ours didnt.
the Currier mail news paper archive has colour flood maps for 74 we had 1 on the wall for years.
the mud was 150mm thick on the ground, we used a squeegee to get it out of the yard. i was 14, found a heep of jewellry in the mud from up the road. ladies bedside table floated out the door ended up in grans yard. thought i was rich.for 5 minites :-[
for years every time it rained the mud smell was through the house.

Cheers Cloud 9

[ssbayguide]

I still remember the boat wedged up against the centenary bridge and the gully down from where we lived (Jilba Street Indooroopilly) being flooded. I think I was 4.

The worst I've seen since was 500mm+ of rain in Townsville in one night (1998). category 4 cyclone off the coast at the same time....just hovering.

As for house prices, they are high. I think some first timers will be burnt once interest rates get higher than 8%. My wife and I have two incomes and right now even that looks inadequate for a half-decent house.

Hmmmm....

[PinHead]

Of course, part of the reason that it was so bad was that the big ship being built at the drydock at Kangaroo Point (now "Dockside")turned sideways in the current and effectively dammed the river at that point.

The ship was the "Robert Miller"..it did not dam the river..just floated on top of all the water..they brought a couple of tugs up to hold her so she did not scare the crap out of the New Farm apartment residents who got to watch the bow swing a few metres fro mtheir balconies.

[gunna]

Next time you drive over the bridge at Jindalee have a look at how far below the river is - then consider the fact that Jindalee Golf Course was under water & you will have an idea of how far the water rose.

[ssbayguide]

Reminds me of the Burdekin river bridge about 30km out of Charters Towers.

During the dry, you can walk under the bridge and look up to see old trees wedged under the railway bridge, which can go under. Looks like well over 100 feet. That amount of water coming down the road is just frightening.

[Dug]

I have a set of shelving form Mother in law's home, when I pulled them apart they still had mud from the '74 flood on the back of the boards. When I tried to wash it off it still stank so I just left it dry!