Toowoomba dam levels - February update ...

The table below shows the information on dam levels as indicated on the Toowoomba Water Futures website as at 1 February 2006 and 1 March 2006.

This provides an indication of water usage over the past month and shows how long the water in the dams will last.

You will not see this comparison on the Toowoomba Water Futures website.

Cressbrook:

Percentage of Capacity = 26.3% (1 Feb) 25.8% (1 Mar)
Volume = 20.8 Gigalitres (1 Feb); 20.4 Gigalitres (1 Mar)
February usage - 0.4 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 51 months

Cooby:

Percentage of Capacity = 30.2% (1 Feb); 29.0% (1 Mar)
Volume = 6.3 Gigalitres (1 Feb); 6.1 Gigalitres (1 Mar)
February usage - 0.2 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 30.5 months

Perseverance:

Percentage of Capacity = 22.8% (1 Feb); 20.8% (1 Mar)
Volume = 6.1 Gigalitres (1 Feb); 5.6 Gigalitres (1 Mar)
February usage - 0.5 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 11.2 months

Overall (combined dams):

Percentage of Capacity = 27.1% (1 Jan); 26.2% (1 Feb); 25.3% (1 Mar)
Volume = 34.4 Gigalitres (1 Jan); 33.2 Gigalitres (1 Feb); 32.1 Gigalitres (1 Mar)

January usage - 1.2 Gigalitres
February usage - 1.1 Gigalitres

Water consumption from the dams reduced by 0.1 Gigalitres in February. It is a shorter month so with an extra 3 days assume water use is stable at around 1.2 Gigalitres.

Months remaining (based on 1.1 Gigalitres): 29 months (2 years 5 months) - i.e. until August 2008

Months remaining (based on 1.2 Gigalitres): 26.75 months (2 years 2.75 months) - i.e. until end April 2008

(As at 1 February - months remaining: 27 months (2 years 3 months) - i.e. until April 2008)

This assumes no more rain over the next 2 years 2-5 months.

The estimate does not allow for evaporation but also does not allow for decreased water demand through winter and the possibility (should the Toowoomba City Council so wish) of greater use of alternative water sources such as bores.