4 minute read
Beardmore ................................... 99
Rainfall rivers recharge
By Fiona Gowers and Jessica McGrath
Record rainfall through southern Queensland has refreshed the entire northern Murray Darling system and restored delicate river flows.
So says Cotton Australia general manager Michael Murray who adds storages - both onfarm and government - are now “absolutely or virtually” full for the first time since 2010/ 2011.
After five tough years, Mr Murray started to sense a seasonal change in February 2020.
“It has been building,” he said.
“This (rainfall) is just providing all these natural flows and recharging the whole landscape.
“And, it will not only support the current croppers on the ground, but will underpin a strong cotton planting for at least the next two years.”
Menindee Lakes, according to Mr Murray, is at 106 per cent capacity, which is about 1.7 million megalitres or equivalent to 3.5 Sydney Harbours.
The Bureau of Meteorology, meanwhile, says Boondooma Dam is at 100.31pc, BjelkePetersen Dam 94.65pc, Gordonbrook Dam 102.79pc, Paradise Dam 107.46pc and Cania Dam 27.82pc.
“I’m pretty sure they’re taking water out of Menindee Lakes at the moment, but there will certainly be inward flows in the coming months,” Mr Murray said.
“As of yesterday, some 20,000ML a day were passing through Bourke and big flows are expected to continue for months, which will raise it considerably higher.”
According to the BOM, five Burnett locations smashed rainfall records for November, with Mundubbera recording its wettest November in 110 years with 263.4mm falling.
The North Burnett town was just one of many to refresh its record books last month.
With 220mm in total, Monto recorded its wettest November in 80 years; Dunollie Station, near the Burnett River, scored 263mm; Boondooma Dam, towards the South Burnett 250mm and Kingaroy Airport 243.8mm of rain.
Queensland had its seventh-wettest November and Australia had its wettest November since records began in 1900, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. This year was the wettest November for Queensland since 2010.
It was also the country’s wettest spring since 2010 according to the Bureau’s spring climate summary.
The new Australian November average rainfall record stands at 72mm, coming in at more than double the month’s original national average of 32mm.
The previous November rainfall record, set nearly 50 years ago during the La Niña event of 1973, was broken by more than two millimetres.
The wettest day of the month was 10 November when Samuel Hill in Queensland received 340.8mm of rain.
Bureau of Meteorology Senior Climatologist Dr Grainger explained that there were a range of factors influencing the recent storms and heavy rains.
“Sea surface temperatures to the west and east of Australia have been the main influence on our wet spring. Typically, warmer waters off the north-west and north-east coast of Australia are associated with wetter than average conditions,” he said.
“At the start of spring, warmer waters to our west were associated with a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, changes of temperatures in the Indian Ocean. Later in the season, a developing La Niña event in the Pacific Ocean to our east also moved warmer waters closer to the Australian region, becoming the dominant influence on Australia’s climate over the season.
“Other climate drivers contributing to an incredibly wet spring were a shift to more wet, tropical conditions over the entire continent.”
Dr Grainger said these were associated with the positive phase of what is known as the Southern Annular Mode and an active Madden Julian Oscillation -global circulation patterns that influence weather systems over Australia.
“All of this has contributed to saturated soil and catchments across large parts of eastern Australia, and with a wet summer still ahead, the risk of further flooding will remain for the coming months,” he said.
The beautiful, now flourishing, billabong on Jackie Stenhouse’s Mundubbera property was previously bone dry.
By Fiona Gowers
Tom Nixon will celebrate the 90th anniversary of Devon Court Hereford stud in 2022 with confidence.
At last check, the rain gauge on the familyowned mixed-farm operation at Drillham, west of Miles, had topped 340 millimetres since November.
“This is seriously unbelievable,” Mr Nixon said. “A record for sure. It is incredible. Unseen in my time and hopefully we will see it again.
“All rain is positive and we are definitely not going to whinge about getting too much.”
Indeed, monthly rainfall records have tumbled across Queensland, with some places recording the wettest November they have seen in more than 100 years.
And, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the drenchings would continue over summer, right through until March.
“With La Niña persisting for the next few months, Queensland will likely have higherthan-average downfalls that will continue over the next few months,” the BOM’s Harry Clark said.
“In fact, the whole country will see the rain continuing, after Australia recorded its wettest November since records began in 1900.”
According to the BOM, the Samuel Hill Aerodrome, north of Yeppoon, ranked as the wettest place in Queensland for last month, recording 627mm in total.
Just 24 hours before the big wet began, Mr Nixon and his brother, Alex finished their harvest of 1885 hectares of wheat, barley and chickpeas.
The sorghum was already planted and is reveling in the rain.
With a record year for grain and beef production, the brothers are quietly confident in the year ahead. Another storm rolls over Devon Court Hereford stud at Drillham, west of Miles. Tom Nixon has recorded 340 millimetres of rain there since November.
