Colo Flood 2012
Posted: Mon 05 Mar, 2012 9:32 amWith 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
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
