
Flood risk remains for Southern Downs home
ONE property remains at risk of flooding as the wall of the irrigation dam at Bolzan Quarry continues to disintegrate.
The owner of the 430ML dam first reported problems in the structural integrity of the dam wall at 5pm on Friday night.
It’s understood the breach in the wall may have been caused by prolonged drought drying out the dam’s clay liner, leading to a crack in the wall.
The hole first measured 3.5 metres wide by 1m high, but has since expanded to 5 metres wide.
The dam emptied into a 50ML cofferdam and spilt out into the surrounding paddocks and creeks at the weekend, self-emptying to 75 per cent capacity.
Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie said modelling shows if the dam wall gives way, that home will be the only property at danger of inundation.
“When that resident is allowed home is dependent on the pressure on the wall being removed,” Cr Dobie said.
“It will be a couple of days yet and in the meantime that person has made their own arrangements.”
The Local Disaster Emergency Group stood down Sunday night and council dam inspectors handed control over to the State Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.
“Our involvement with the dam, as a council, has ended,” Cr Dobie said.
“Council will keep the road closed signs in place because water is still running over those roads and that will continue if the dam wall does break away further.”
Engineers will construct an additional channel near the southern border of the dam this week, which is expected to take more water out of the dam, into Yankee Gully, and onward into Dalrymple Creek.
“That will keep the water level high across road crossings,” Cr Dobie said.
“And if the wall does break and water comes down, those roads will be flooded.”
Road closures listed at 2pm Monday
The following roads are CLOSED:
Condamine River Road – Killarney Closed
Backhouse Road – Closed
Junabee Road – Closed at Eastern End
Hermitage – Emuvale Road – Closed at Eastern End
Emu Creek Road - Closed
Strudwicks Road – Closed at Southern End
Kemps Road – Closed
Upper Freestone School Rd – Closed
Whites Road - Closed
South Branch Road – Maryvale – Closed
Kadows Road – Closed
Wheatvale Plains Road – Closed
Dwans Lane - Closed
Kirklands Road – Closed
Glengallan Road – Willowvale – Closed
Clintonvale – Goomburra Road – Closed
Doyles Road – Clintonvale – Closed
Diggles Road – Closed
Willetts Road – Closed
Cheese Factory Road – Closed
Mullins Road – Talgai – Closed
Springs Road – Greymare – Closed
Fogarty’s Crossing Road – Closed
Park Road – Closed
Victoria St at Cox’s crossing – Closed
School of Arts Road – Closed
Dalrymple Creek Road - Closed
Hendon - Victoria Hill Road - Closed
Mullins Road
Victoria Hills Road
Hanson’s Road
Dalrymple Creek Road
Cheese Factory Road
For more information about road closures visit sdrc.qld.gov.au