Colo Flood 2012

[davidmorr]

With rain over a lot of NSW, and Warragamba Dam spilling over, I looked at the river level gauge for the Colo on Saturday morning. It was definitely on its way up. (This shows up to Sunday night.)



It peaked just after midnight on Saturday night, somewhere slightly more than 11m.

Having been on the Colo a few times in drier times, I wondered what it would be like in a flood. So a few friends and I set off early Sunday morning to Canoe Creek, to see the mighty Colo roaring down its gorge. We got to the end of the fire trail about 10:30, and set off down the track.

The first thing we noticed was the roar from Canoe Creek. Lots of water tumbling down - I had never seen any flowing water there before. Big pools, enough for one of our party to have a swim. Fortunately they did not cover the track and we carried on to the lookout over the Colo.



(If the right image looks a bit narrow, widen your browser window.)

It was almost an anticlimax. Yes it was definitely in flood, but just a big muddy stream of water. Where was the roar we expected? What about the standing waves from the racing current? Scoured banks?

But still, it was impressive. We estimated the level to be about 5 metres above normal.

Going down to the water's edge, we could get barely beyond the bottom of the rock slot. The lower part of Canoe Creek had become part of the overflowing Colo, with water that would have been several metres deep. Looking at the debris deposited in the trees, and the knocked over trees, it was clear that the water level had been at least two metres higher not long before. No part of the eastern bank or campsite was visible. Similarly the sand spit on the opposite bank was long gone, with water lapping the bottom of the cliff there.

Here are some more photos showing the water in Canoe Creek and the flooding at the base of the track:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmorrison/sets/72157629144230830

[HitchHiking]

Wow looks intense!

LiLo anyone?

[davidmorr]

Some video taken with my iPhone:

http://youtu.be/UUSrh6NEyV8

(Cannot figure out how to embed it....)

[davidmorr]

Wow looks intense!

LiLo anyone?

Some members of my club floated down the Colo from here to Meroo last year in inflatable boats. They took 7 days. Yesterday, they could probably go the whole distance in a day....

[tom_brennan]

In early Feb 2010 my wife and I had organised a week off, and were going to go canyoning. It bucketed down, so canned those plans. By the Sunday we were getting itchy feet so hatched the brave and somewhat foolhardy plan to go down to Bob Turners and try liloing the Colo, which at that stage was at around 4m at Upper Colo. We did blow up the lilos and paddle out into the current – but pulled the plug after only a few hundred metres. If we’d kept going, I estimate we’d have got to Colo Meroo in a little over an hour, assuming we didn’t get ourselves killed.

Some photos (which has a link to the trip report)

http://ozultimate.com/tom/bushwalking/2 ... photos.htm

[FatCanyoner]

Loved the photos of Canoe Creek. It rained while I was down there and the best we got was a tiny trickle down the creek!
It has been a wild summer for those who want to Kayak / Pack Raft. I know people who've done most of the rivers around Sydney, including the Colo and Grose, racing along areas that would normally be still water among huge boulders. I'm great someone was inspired to walk down and get some photos of this lot!

[michael_p]

Some video taken with my iPhone:

http://youtu.be/UUSrh6NEyV8

(Cannot figure out how to embed it....)

You just need the "UUSrh6NEyV8" bit between youtube tags as below.

Code:

[youtube]UUSrh6NEyV8[/youtube]

The above gives you this:


Amazing footage David.

Regards,
Michael.

[davidmorr]

I'm great someone was inspired to walk down and get some photos of this lot!

I was actually surprised there was no-one else at the track head. We had driven 3.5 hours from Newcastle - much closer for Sydney people. We had also expected a wet day, but as you see, it was almost perfect. And complemented by two visits to the Grey Gum Cafe up the Putty Road.

Last edited by davidmorr on Mon 05 Mar, 2012 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[davidmorr]

Amazing footage David.

Thanks, and also for the tip about Youtube.

[Dale]

Very cool David.

I wondered what the river bend looked like during flood and whether the entire bank would be under water. Your photos and footage has firmly answered that question

Would make for one fast (and probably final) rafting trip !

[DarrenM]

Great pics and video! I wanted to head up on the weekend but with so many bridge and ferry closures it was difficult. I had a feeling that the higher it got the more it would mellow out. The overall gradient of the Colo isn't as steep as other rivers although seeing King rapid area would have been interesting....and Tom....thumbs up at having a crack at 4m!

[natch]

Was planning a lilo trip from Bob Turners track this weekend. I see from the BOM website that the Colo is back down to around 1.7 metres. Any thoughts on attempting this at this height? I rang National Parks and they advised against it.. Said that height is still considered in flood.

[tom_brennan]

"Normal" varies quite a bit, depending on the depth of the pool that the gauge is in. At the moment "normal" is around 1.5m. I reckon 1.7m would be a pretty good height. There is no real risk in liloing other than the rapids. There are only 5 between Bob Turners and the Big Bend, and they could all be negotiated on the sides at that height, so I don't see any issue.

I assume you are familiar with the tracks/routes in and out?

[natch]

cheers.

No not familiar at all. We'll have maps, compass and GPS to hand and are planning to start early. We'll check the river out much like you did when it was ~4m and see how we feel.

edit: not familiar, as in haven't done them before. but have certainly been reading up and studying the maps.

[Dale]

Natch I was at Bob Turners on the weekend and at 1.7m its certainly a big flow increase from when I rafted in Jan at 1.1m. The sections which are normally still flatwater are flowing so less paddling for you. Like Tom says portage the rapids and try and be aware of the forecast and potential for flash flooding.

[natch]

Thanks for the confirmation Dale. Fingers crossed there isn't a massive dump of rain in the catchment area! will be watching that river level frequently