The big wet of March 2017

Allinsure Park has been known to flood on occasion – usually during heavy summer downpours. But on 21 March the Canberra/Queanbeyan region  received more rain in a single morning than any other day in the past three months and the ground turned into a lake.

Across Canberra roofs collapsed and there was minor flooding. At Allinsure Park, the retaining wall at the northern end of the ground did what it was designed for and held back flash flooding water from houses further “down stream”.

The oval is built on what was probably an ancient natural water course. All of the rain that falls in the hills of Cookes Estate to the south of the oval makes it’s way downhill to the Queanbeyan River. Under very, and usually sudden, heavy rain conditions the local storm water drains in the area are unable to cope and water spills out across Allinsure Park.

The retaining wall allows the oval to act as a water retention basin, slowing the flash flooding and protecting houses who back onto an open creek closer to the river.

Obviously the wall does what it is designed for very well, as it holds a great deal of water back until it can dissipate slowly.

Although the storm on Tuesday 21 March was the one that created the most impressive images of the flooding, there was also a storm late afternoon on Monday 20 March that covered most of the oval in water. On that occasion the water didn’t build up against the retaining wall, but it gave an impressive sight of the oval nonetheless.

Below are two photo galleries from both days.

Monday 20 March

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Tuesday 21 March

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