Talgai residents face more dam uncertainty
RESIDENTS in the small Southern Downs community of Talgai faced more uncertainty late yesterday afternoon on whether they could return home or not after a dam wall at a quarry failed.
An emergency declaration remained in place at time of print for the area bounded by Hendon Victoria Hill Rd, Warwick Allora Rd, Pratten Rd and Yankee Gully Rd.
Talgai, northwest of Warwick, was put on high alert early on Saturday morning after the wall of the nearby Bolzan Quarry Dam broke, sending water gushing out and sparking fears that as many as 5000 residents were at risk.
The 3.5m hole appeared in the private dam on Friday, with fears a total dam wall collapse would flood more than 250 homes downstream.
The hole, which was spotted by a local resident, appeared after days of heavy rain.
An emergency alert was sent via text message at 11pm to 5000 people in low-lying areas, although police only needed to evacuate seven homes on Friday. Others evacuated voluntarily.
Police declared an emergency situation as engineers were called in to assess the damage at first light yesterday.
“Dam inspectors on site have identified that the water is continuing to flow in a controlled manner from the dam,” the Southern Downs Regional Council said at about midday,
“At this point in time there are still concern surround the failure of the dam wall.
“The dam is currently estimated to be at approximately 75 per cent capacity.
“Residents are advised to please remain out of the area until Queensland Police advise the PSPA is lifted.”
At Highborne Farm, just 2.5km from the quarry, owners Dr Cameron and Andrea Osborne slept soundly on Friday night, only vaguely aware of the increasing police presence on their street.
“We noticed the police lights when we came home around 9pm and just thought maybe a crash had happened,” Dr Osborne said.
“It was a surprise when we saw the text message in the morning, there had been absolutely no evidence of further flooding.”
Dr Osborne said he was confused why no one had alerted them in person of the threat, despite their proximity to the quarry.
“We had to get further information from Facebook,” he said.
Regardless, Dr Osborne said the whole incident may have been “overstated”.
“If 450ml of water hit you as you were standing in front of it, you’d be in strife, but it would take a lot more water through here to put houses in danger,” he said.
“It would probably just flood a few paddocks.”