ESB and City Council at war over flooding

nacl

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1207/weather.html


'Three different warnings by the ESB on the day before floods in Cork each significantly underestimated the amount of water that the company would be releasing through its dam at Inniscarra.

A report by Cork City Council says that the amount of water released through the dam on 19 November was double what the ESB had warned it would be just over twelve hours beforehand'.

Tiriel

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1208/weather.html

moceri

Why doesn't ESB publish the data figures. I would particularly like to see the discharge levels from the carrigadrohid reservoir into the Inniscarra reservoir.

rebel girl 15

Timeline that was given by the city manager last night - typed out from Evening Echo

Thursday Nov. 19

11.30am - Inniscarra Dam contacted the council and advised that the discharge level would be 150 cubics metres per second increasing to 200 cubic metres per second over the next few hours with the possibility that it would reach 250 to 300 cubic metres per second later in the day. The information received was assessed by the council taking into account the weather forecast and the high tide due at 6.50pm. The council contacted the Kingsley hotel, the County Hall, Atkins, Topaz Filling Station, Coca Cola and other businesses along the Carrigrohane Road and advised them of the possibility of flooding. The traffic section was mobilised to deal with road closures

2.30pm - City council issed by email a flood warning to all relevant internal staff and to its standard external list which included local media and city businesses

3pm - Inniscarra Dam informed the council that discharge levels had risen to 225 cubic metres per second, were expected to reach 250 cubic metres per second by 5pm and could reach 275 cubic metres per second by 7pm

5pm - Inniscarra Dam informed the council that the discharge level would now reach 300 cubic metres per second

5.30pm - Inniscarra Dam informed the council that the discharge levels would be greater than previously anticipated i.e. greater than 300 cubic metres per second

6.50pm - The council checked the water level gauge at Lapp's Quay to assess the tide level, the reading was 1.98 which indicated significant capacity in the channel to accomodate the flow without causing flooding

7pm to 8.30pm - City Council checked Grenville Place near Mercy Hospital to assess flow. Mardyke checked, County Hall checked. There was no water around the Kingsley hotel and the filling station was not flooded

8.40pm - High tide passed without incident. There was some flooding at Sunday's Well and at Carrigrohane Road. Council closed roads where necessary and had erected appropriate signs

9pm - Council again checked Grenville Place and observed that the water level was reduced at that point reflecting the passing of high tide

10.10pm - Council contacted Inniscarra Dam as Waterworks staff were concerned about the rising water levels near the plant. The dam advised that discharge levels now go to 450 cubic metres per second

11pm - Carrigrohane Road under heavy flood. City council mobilised the Army to gain access to a halting site at Carrigrohane Road

11.28pm - Civil Defence mobilised

Midnight - Shutdown of the Lee Waterworks as the pumping station was being flooded


Friday Nov 20

2.10am - Council checked water levels at Mercy Hospital, with no immediate threat

3am - Council initiated Drinking Water Incident response plan

3.56am - Council informed that Quay Wall at Grenville Place had collapsed and that power lines were down

4.07am - Council and Army at Grenville Place. Equipment at Mercy Hospital were protected and guarded by Army overnight

4am - 6.30am - Gardai, Army and various council staff on the streets

7am - Council commenced arrangements for the provision of emergency water supplies

7am - City manager called the first Crisis Management Team meeting for 11am

7.10am - Council advised local media and RTE of water supply disruption

4pm - Second meeting of Crisis Management Team held. ESB confirmed ut had found it necessary to increase water discharge levels during the night of Nov 19

moceri

The ESB knew that any discharge in excess of 230 m3/s was likely to cause Disasterous flooding downriver. The OPW report on the 1997 Flooding, records peak discharge at 230. If this level was likely to cause flooding, can you imagine what danger was posed from a 450 m3/s release.

http://www.opw.ie/hydrology/data/speeches/National%20Hydrology%20Seminar%202001%20No%209%20-%20FLOOD%20RISK%20MANAGEMENT%20-%20STORAGE.pdf

I think it is a disgrace, that Padraig Mc Manus is indignant about being questioned about it and trying to evade responsibility. "We did not issue warnings about specific levels". I would love to knock his, and Joe Gavin's head together to get some sense into them.

Discharge levels peaked at 535 m3/s which I understand to be the maximum discharge possible when all 3 sluice gates are fully open.

TetsuoHashimoto

nesf wrote: »

The ESB were worried about the dam bursting, they wouldn't release 500+ tons of water a second if they weren't. If the dam had burst, you'd be looking at tens of thousands of deaths unless a major evacuation of the city could happen (i.e. get everyone out of the islands and low lying areas and up into the hills). If the dam had burst at night with no warning, then it'd be a death sentence for many people.

The ESB's first priority has to be the dam, including flooding the city to prevent it from happening.

Yeah if the dam went Cork would have paid big time, I think too much criticism is thrown around they done a highly professional job in Limerick, very controlled, warnings and a good evacuation. There seems to be too much bashing in some threads.