FULL TO THE BRIM
Sports clubs in limbo as rain rolls in
DAM SET TO OVERFLOW WITH MORE RAIN ON WAY
THE Hinze Dam is expected to overflow today for the first time since June last year with the forecast of more rain to come.
The dam was at 98.9 per cent capacity yesterday afternoon with water lapping centimetres below the spillway. It has overflowed only four times since the dam wall was raised in 2011, with a capacity of 310,730 megalitres.
The Little Nerang Dam, which flows into the Hinze Dam, has been spilling for several days as rain continues to lash the Gold Coast.
The downpour also has brought about the closure of council parks and fields across the city.
Runaway Bay Soccer Club vice-president Paul Jarman said the big soak was threatening the start of the junior football season this weekend.
“We have two games planned for Saturday and Sunday and if we don’t reopen we’ll have to run the competitions on a different weekend, which is not going to delight parents,” he said.
“Sporting fields always get closed when it rains so it’s nothing unusual but we do hope the sun will come out later this week.”
Weatherzone meteorologist Tom Hough said light showers were forecast this morning. Conditions would ease around lunchtime before more rain hit this afternoon.
“Temperatures will be slightly above average at 27C and periodic showers throughout the day,” he said.
“Thursday and Friday will be much the same with light showers but temperatures will be in the 28 to 30C range.”
Mr Hough said the rain would continue until the weekend before easing off early or mid next week when temperatures will drop below 26C.
Up to 30mm of rain is expected between today and Friday at the Gold Coast Seaway. Several Gold Coast roads have also been closed due to some flash flooding, including Beaudesert Boonah Rd in Coulson, Hardys Rd in Mudgeeraba and Clagiraba Rd.
A woman was forced to abandon her car after driving through floodwaters in Nerang on Monday night.
A Gold Coast Council spokeswoman has urged drivers to exercise caution amid a string of car accidents on wet roads.