Grampians Record Rainfalls

Stawell – Lake Lonsdale has been one of many beneficiaries of the heavy rainfall for August, the level rising dramatically in the past month.

Lonsdale rose by 5040 megalitres last week, which followed on from a massive flow of 11,780 megalitres the week before and 740 megalitres into the storage the previous week.

In fact for August alone, 17,900 megalitres has found its way into the lake, boosting the water level significantly. Lonsdale currently holds 21,180 megalitres in storage, which is 32% of its capacity. The storage has not reached that level for many years.

At the same time last year, the lake was holding water, but only 5900 megalitres which left it floundering at just nine percent.

The massive flows into Lonsdale have resulted from 121.8 millimetres (488 points) of rain falling in Stawell for August to date. This already is the highest August rainfall recorded since 1992, when the total reached 122.4mm (490pts). The rain has produced excellent flows down Mt William Creek, which feeds into Lonsdale.

Lake Fyans has also been boosted by the flows, its level rising to 48% of capacity. At present, Fyans is holding 8900 megalitres compared with 5240 megalitres at the same time last year which was 28% of full capacity. The flow into Fyans last week was 850 megalitres.

Moora Reservoir in the Grampians has almost reached its peak, a further flow of 290 megalitres last week boosting the storage’s level to 93% of capacity, while Lake Bellfield is at its highest level in some time, a flow of 2350 megalitres last week bringing the level up to 42% of capacity.

Bellfield currently has 33,340 megalitres in storage and at the same time it held 18,850 megalitres which was 28% of capacity.

One of the biggest winners has been Lake Batyo Catyo in St Arnaud, which last week received a flow of 1050 megalitres. There were concerns there would be no flows into Batyo Catyo which has been dry for several years, but the lake has reached 47% of its capacity.

Grampians system storages:

Batyo Catyo 1050ML (47%), Bellfield 33,340 ML (42%), Fyans 8900ML (48%), Lonsdale 21,180 ML (32%), Moora 5890 ML (93%), Rocklands 17, 080 ML (4.9%), Taylors 24,456 ML (73%), Wartook 26,140 ML (89%).

Related posts:

1. Reservoir level – Lake Wartook, Lake Bellfield, Lake Lonsdale