Thread: Climate change? what climate change?

Let's get back to the topic.
Climate Change: Index

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Interesting concept. I don't know about Queensland an New South Wales but, where do you propose to build this drought proofing dam in Victoria?
You can't build it in the west. Too flat. To get a usable volume, the reservoir would have to be large in area and shallow. In the east, all that's damable has been damed. In the far east of the state any water stored there would have to be pumped in a pipe using several pumping stations requiring electrical supply. Back to burning mud.
Besides, dams are useless unless they have adequate inflow. How do you propose to fill this new dam? With a desal plant?

What did the most experienced group in water use and transport suggest?
The Mitchell, their figures put the cost at 1/3 to 1/5th what your paying now for the desal plant.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-12-0...o-water/229278

This is including transport, which for the dam pumping downhill ,is still cheaper by half than pumping uphill from the desalination plant.

Originally Posted by BMKal

At the mouth of the Yarra ??????

Yep. Knew someone was going to say that.
Only wish we could. For many reasons. None of them water supply related.

Originally Posted by frantic

What did the most experienced group in water use and transport suggest?
The Mitchell, their figures put the cost at 1/3 to 1/5th what your paying now for the desal plant.
Victoria's no dams policy holds no water - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

This is including transport, which for the dam pumping downhill ,is still cheaper by half than pumping uphill from the desalination plant.

Don't forget, the proposed cost of the desal plant at Wonthaggi paled into insignificance when the final cost was revealed. The same thing will happen with any proposed costings of a new dam.
Mitchell River. Now that rings a bell. Ah, yes, that's been kicking around since the seventies. Before then there were two failed attempts.
Yep, by all means, dam the river. There are a few things that have to be taken into account, though. Environmental flows must be maintained. There are wetlands that depend on a significant proportion of their inflow from the Mitchell river.
The other thing is the inflow into the dam. An occasional flood does not make a reliable inflow. A dam that fills every few years and spends most of it's time near empty is no use. Especially if the dam has a high evaporation rate.
Another thing is location. Mitchell river dam would be great for the people of Sale and Bairnsdale (do they really need the dam though) but no good for the people of Melbourne. Much in the same way as the people of the north east (Victoria) benefit from Dartmouth (they need it) but Dartmouth's water cannot be transported to Melbourne ( well, they could truck it I suppose).
Oh, and the proposed Mitchell river dam is not exactly drought breaking. It is smaller than Thompson. Thompson was touted as drought breaking and later proven not, twice.

T-shirt weather too warm for fruit trees - ABC Rural (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Just one more example of how climate change could be affecting the country. Yes, I know, one swallow doesn't make a summer, but how many swallows do we need to see all flying in the one direction before we accept that something is going on?

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

T-shirt weather too warm for fruit trees - ABC Rural (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Just one more example of how climate change could be affecting the country. Yes, I know, one swallow doesn't make a summer, but how many swallows do we need to see all flying in the one direction before we accept that something is going on?

Yes. the local orchardists had been complaining about that for years. They've been slowly moving into vegetables and instant lawns for this reason. As the climate warms, swap to warmer climate crops.
It's good that this problem is now being reported in mainstream media.

Mick_Marsh if your not going to read the last paragraph of my post that you quoted, what's the point of responding?
Transport cost for the distance from Mitchell to connect is between 37c and 60 c compared to desalination cost of 88c.
As to size. Any link would be nice as the ones I've posted say almost Thomson in capacity.
As to environmental impact, do you have a small impact in one area to have a much greater reduction in all or try to save one stream but condemn the rest
rest?
rest,

frantic, when I reply to a post, I read every word carefully, several times.