West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 19 July 1932, page 10


ANXIETY IN THE COUNTRY.

Heavj Overflow from Northam Weir.

Although the immediate danger to the shopping area of the town had passed, there was still a danger of damaging floods at Northam, according to a wire received

last night. The mam road to niarraaong is blocked, and from several country centres, telegrams referred to high water levels and abnormally heavy rains. They were as follow:— NORTHAM.— Yesterday a huge volume of water came down the Avon River, which is heavily in flood. On Saturday, the overflow at the Northam Weir was lft. 6*in. above the crest; yesterday, it rose 2ft. llin., and at 11 o'clock this morning it had receded to 2ft. Gin. At the peak period yesterday, the overflow was at the rate of 3,900,000,000 gallons in 24 hours, and to-day it is nearly 3,000,000.000 gallons. The danger of flooding in the shopping portion of the town appears to have passed, but it will be renewed if there is much more heavy rain -within the next 24 hours. The clearing away of trees and undergrowth in the bed of the Avon River beyond the Northam weir in the early part of last year has been a big factor in preventing floods in the town during this and last winter, as the waters of the Avon and Mortlock, which meet a few hundred yards belowe the weir, arc thus enabled to get away more rapidly. The Mortlock River has overflowed the small bridge at the eastern extremity of Fitzgerald-street. TOODYAY.-^eeks are ranninc bankers, and the river is in flood. The Xortham-road, near Nardie Pool, is under four feet of water, and parts of the West Toodyay-road and the Toodyay Brook bridge are submerged. The river was very high yesterday and rose two feet last night. It is still rising steadily, and at 2 p.m. was about three feet below the level reached last year. Bridie Seven Feet Under Water. MARRADONG.— The Marradong post office registered 100 points of rain over the week-end. Wandering recorded 110

points, and Boddinjrton 102 for the sanu' period. The Boddiugton tramc bridge is 7ft. under watet. sn.-J Boddington crossing, which is three mi.es off the Albanyroad, is impassable owinjr t-- a dangerous washaway. Several travellers proceeding from Perth to Man-adoug came to gnei* on this section. There is no possibility of effecting repairs for several weeks, and. as it is the only approach to Boddinpton and Marradong dnring the wet weather, cars coming from the city have to make a detour of 70 miles to reach the town. The Marradong Road Board has issued notices advising travellers of the pitfalls, und have requested assistance from the Works Department. WAGIN.— Another fall of 09 points of rain at Wagin on Sunday brought the total rainfall for the 18 days of this month to 337 points. The low-lying portions of the district are inundated. Bridges and culverts are awash and the lakes are overflowing. Two hundrod and sixty points of rain have fallen during the past week, and in consequence the Puntapin dam, the source of the town water supply at Wagin, has risen 31ft. in that period. The dam now contains 14,539,000 gallons of water, which is the highest yet registered for six and a half months of any year since its construction. YORK. — Heavy rain fell throughout yesterday. The registration to 8 aan. today was 70 points. The river has risen considerably, but so far not up to the bridges. It is still rising slightly. ARRINO.— A torrential downfall of rain on Friday night caused the Arrowsmith River and the creek to the west of the Arrino to flood in a few hours.