Surf's up, dams up in Sydney and NSW

[depakid]

With an La Nina pattern now in place, the rains may continue to spread to other parched regions of the country- though hopefully, without the major flooding.

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/06/16/rainbow17607_wideweb__470x312,0.jpg

AT last the rains have fallen in the right places and Sydney's dam catchment area has had its best drenching in years.

Heavy rains poured on Sydney's suburbs, with 90 millimetres falling on the city in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday and 76 millimetres at Frenchs Forest. The South Coast was pounded by strong winds and heavy rains, with 112 millimetres falling at Ulladulla.

Fitzroy Falls, in the heart of the Warragamba Dam catchment area, recorded a very welcome 100 millimetres.

Dam levels are predicted to rise by up to 5 per cent, pushing drinking water storage levels to 45 per cent, the highest in three years. And the news gets even better. A spokeswoman for the Sydney Catchment Authority, Debbie Low, said the authority expected even more good flows into the dams. "The soil is now saturated like a wet sponge," she said.

"That means any additional rain will not be absorbed by the soil but will flow straight into the catchment." Rain is forecast for Sydney, the Central Coast, South Coast and ranges for the next four days, raising hopes that dam storage levels could pass the magic 50 per cent mark.

The last time the dams were half full was May 2004. The dams haven't been full for almost nine years.

But what's good for dams was bad news for people in the Hunter and on the Central Coast still cleaning up from the floods. They were hit by gale-force winds and heavy rains again yesterday. Seven-metre waves lashed the stranded ship Pasha Bulker, wedging it further up on Nobbys Beach.

more: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/surfs-up-and-the-dams-are-up/2007/06/16/1181414606763.html