AT THE MERCY OF THE FLOODS
Residents call to reinstall floodgates
HEAVY rain and intense flooding has battered the Geelong region for more than three months.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded more than 152mm of rain in October at its weather station in Breakwater, making it our wettest October since 1949.
More than 1200 potholes have needed to be filled and 14 sections of washed-away road resealed according to council.
The Barwon Valley Golf Club has been forced to remain closed since October 9 due to heavy flooding and thick mud on the course.
The club’s general manager, Nathan Sharrock, said it had experienced significant loss of revenue over the past two months.
“We’ve had to cancel major events like our annual tournament,” Mr Sharrock said.
“It also means casual staff haven’t been able to work.”
The club has been using a swamp dozer and pressure cleaners to remove the mud from the fairway when the water recedes but the course continues to flood.
The Geelong Waterski Club has not been able to access its St Albans Park clubroom for more than nine weeks.
Vice president Brett McCleod said members hadn’t trained on the Barwon River since before October.
“Athletes have travelled elsewhere where to train, some have even been training in Darwin … it’s been tough,” he said.
A ski jump and two small motor boats have been damaged and could cost as much as $10,000 to repair.
The club might also have to pay up to $5000 in cleaning fees for the clubroom as well as further renovation costs.
Properties that back on to the Barwon River have been flooded since October.
Some residents claim the inundation of their properties and other businesses around the Barwon could have been avoided if floodgates were not removed from the lower barrage two years ago.
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) replaced the gates with a specialised solid wall to manage the river levels after they were deemed no longer necessary.
Gary Causon’s property in Charlemont backs on to the river and he said floodwater had been on his land for more than three months.
“When the floodgates were there, the same amount of flooding would have been gone within a week,” he said.
“Now the water is lying five times longer than it should be.”
As the water was lying longer, residents said it was killing trees and vegetation
We’ve had to cancel major events like our annual tournament. It also means casual staff haven’t been able to work. BARWON VALLEY GOLF CLUB GENERAL MANAGER NATHAN SHARROCK
and creating an infestation of mosquitoes.
Fellow resident Lindsay Lincoln said locals had been warning the CCMA for more than two years that the solid wall has taken the flow out of the river. “It’s just a slow release now instead of one big hit and (the flooding) is over and done with,” he said.
The CCMA said rainfall in the region was 50mm to 400mm higher than last year with the river repeatedly reaching above 3.1m.
“At this level the operation of the floodgates at the lower Barwon barrage would have made no effect of reducing flood levels.”