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Full Adelaide reservoir opens floodgates

The gates of Mount Bold Reservoir have opened for the first time in five years after ongoing rain into spring brought it close to full capacity. Watch the video

Oct 14, 2022, updated Oct 15, 2022
Water flows from Mount Bold Reservoir. Photo: supplied/SA Water

Water flows from Mount Bold Reservoir. Photo: supplied/SA Water

South Australia’s biggest reservoir, in Adelaide’s south, has received more than 30 billion litres of water since August, according to SA Water.

It said the rainfall had increased the reservoir’s storage level from 30 per cent to 94 per cent, prompting a controlled release of water into the Onkaparinga River.

Mount Bold Reservoir can hold a total of 46.4 gigalitres of water.

SA Water also reported that all Adelaide metropolitan reservoirs are sitting at a total capacity of 87 per cent – holding a combined 173 billion litres of water.

SA Water’s senior manager of wastewater expertise and environment James Crocker said opening six water gates at Mount Bold Reservoir would help manage the persistent rainfall.

“Dam walls, gates and spillways are designed to manage water in a controlled manner, and today’s release is an example of the Mount Bold dam wall doing exactly what it was designed and built for,” he said.

[solstice_jwplayer mediaid=”mNQQKzHu” title=”Mount Bold Reservoir” caption=”Water cascades from Mount Bold reservoir. Video: SA Water” /]

Crocker said the reservoir had eight gates which could be controlled to release various volumes of water from the reservoir based on its capacity and inflows from the catchment.

“We’ve worked closely with the Bureau of Meteorology to understand the likely impact of this week’s rainfall on the reservoir’s level, enabling our local team to plan for when and how much water should be released,” he said.

“Once we reached the trigger point, our on-site rangers operated the gates from our control room, using an electronic panel to open the gates to a certain level.

“At the moment, six gates are open at 20 centimetres in height and two at 10 centimetres, to release water downstream. We will reassess later in the day how long the gates are required to be open for.

“Importantly, the local community downstream of the reservoir can be assured that, based on what we’re expecting to release, there will not be any significant impact.

“Visitors can safely watch the cascading water at the new lookout within the reservoir reserve, which is a 1.4- kilometre return walk from the car park off Razorback Road, and provides spectacular views down towards Mount Bold’s dam wall and across the wider reserve.”

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