Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), Monday 1 November 1954, page 1


FOUR YEAR DROUGHT BROKEN

GOOD SOAKING DISTRICT RAIN;

238 PTS IN B. HILL

The four-year-old drought in the Broken Hill district has been broken with the best and heaviest rains since March, 1950. Broken Hill registered 238 points from the rain which commenced to fall shortly before 3 p.m. yesterday. This regis-tration was up till 2 p.m. today.

There was another intake in the Umberumberka Reser-voir and a report from Sfephens Creek indicated that water was flowing into that reservoir but had not reached the wall.

The whole of the Wes:. Darling area will benefit considerably from the wide-spread rain which extended from the Queensland border to. Wentworth to the Flin-ders Ranges in the west and over large areas of the central-west of the S.ate.

The rain is the most widespread in the district since 1950. Graziers are now assured of a good summer season. Water tanks which had been dry for many years have been . filled to overflowing, and grass will get a new lease of life. The grass came up after last month's rain and this down

pour will greatly assist the growth.

Kangaroos which haye been roaming the country side in great numbers and eating up all available grass will be dispersed by the

rain.

The rain commenced shortly before 3 p.m. yester-day and continued during the night with gathering intensity. In the city the gutters ran strongly and low lying areas were awash. Such a sight has not been seen in Broken Hill for many 1 years.

All district roáds are im-passable. Reports from Menindee show that roads in the vicini.y were, sticky. The road on the Tolarno side of the river hos. been described as "the worst it has ever been."

Menindee received M points in falls yesterday afternoon. Rain commenced falling again at 9 a.m. today.

Wilcannia received only 30 points and the rain was only light in the district, but toward Broken Hill it was heavier. The mail truck from Wilcannia did not leave today.

Warning on Adelaide Road

The Adelaide Road is described as "terribly sticky" at Cockburn, Motorists are advised not to travel for at least 48 hours.

Along the Wentworth Road good fails were re-ceived. This road is im-passable. An average of about an inch and a half feil over the first 50 miles, but lower down only light falls were re-

corded.

All district creeks are running strongly, and these will prove an additional hazard to motorists.

At Silverton ttie créeles began to flow early this morning and water was gradually building up.

At noon the level of the

Umberumberka reservoir had risen 2ft. 8in. to lift.! 8in. ; At 2 o'clock the rise was 3ft. 10 inches.

Hie rain has stranded 25 National Service Trainees who came to the city for their week-end leave. The Adelaide road is impassable so they will not be able to make the return . journey until probably ¿tomorrow. They have contacted head-quarters in Adelaide and informed them of their pre-dicament, and extra leave has been granted.

At Stephens Creek the main inlet was running over

its banks and water was j

lapping the outer walls of the hotel. The proprietor reported that the volume

of water in the creek was j

the greatest since the heavy rains in 1946.

Water Board officials ex-pect that a considerable vol-ume of water will enter the reservoir. The water could be seen entering« It had not reached the wall by 2 o'clock. The reservoir has been dry since March, 1951.

The vain was most wel-come in areas west of Bro-ken Hill, in the. Quinyambie district and in the north-east ol' South Australia, round Marree, Finnis Springs and Lake Eyre.

These areas were desparately in need of good rain and although . the drought has not been completely broken there the position will be alleviated, particu-larly surface water supplies.

717 Pts. of Rain this Year

In October, Broken Hill registered 125 points of rain and/rain during the past 24 .hours took the total

registration for the month to 363 points. This is the highest since March 1950, when 253 points was re-corded over a period of three days. The total regis-tration for the year is 717 points.

Rainfall reports received through the Flying Doctor

Service are:

Box Vale 7, Churinga 36, Kaloola 24, Borona Downs 22, Peery 10* Pulchra 10, Wertago 23, Koonawarra 20, Black Gate 52, Grasmere 42. Nantilla > 24, Berawinnia Downs 18, Yalda Downs 5, Toonborough 30, Willaba 79, Lake Wallace 38, Mc-Dougall's Well 211, Mt. Sturt 31, Pine Ridge 100. Winna-thee 55, Kantappa 138, Moorabbie 80, Theldarpa 50, Yelka 83, Waka 37. Terran-anya 70, Fort Grey 35, Hewart Downs 98, Yandama G5. Dalmuir 50, Twin Wells

; 44, Pine View 116, Mt. West- ; ¡ward 180, Popio 75, Mannai I Vale 24, Avenel 160. Border' I Downs 54, Lochlilly 32, Mt.1 _ Woolwoolahra 193, 'Lake'

LStewart 56, Popiltah 35,

Tielta 168. Linray 205. | I Worinamin a 10, Nundoo-ka 126, Fowler's Gap 205,

¡Westward Downs 85," Gnalta 22', The Veldt 120. Peak Hiíl I (near Silverton) 113, San-pah 45, Ennis Vale 22, Bilakalina 102, Pindera Downs 6, Tibooburra 25,. Finnis Springs 234. Mt. Fitton 225, Cordillo Downs 5. Wyloona 9, Dulkaninna 75. Smithville ?51, Quondong (S.A.) 70, "Biblianda 98, Quinyambie 71,

Noonamah 25.

j Wilcannia 30. Culpaulin

<2C. Balaka 50. Purnawilla 30,

¡Topago 19, Volo 13, Louth

10. Ulalie ll. Analara 16. Werunda 17, Balaklava- 157, ! Ascot'Vale 162. Sunny Dale 1135, Pine Point 135, Silver-ton 140. Eldee 162, Umber-

umberka . 172. Stephens ' Creek 178. Round Hill 117, Topar 50, " Melool 26,

¡Broughton Vale 46, Metford 35, Koralta bl, Langawirra 80, Waterbag 44, Glenora 35, Bilpa 37, Topar Station 81, Glen Lyon 36, Byrnelale 40, Hazelvale 46. v

Cockburn received 166 points and the roads in -the area are muddy and sticky.

1 Motorists are warned to.

¡ exercise the utmost care.

A strong wind has sprung up and it Ls expected that the roads wül be dry by

tomorrow.

I Rainfall reports from'

the area are: Olary 90, Min-gary 49, Palm Creek 136, Mutooroo 91, and MulyunI garie 52.

I Pooncarie 112. Cuthro 104, Leonara Downs 108, Quon-dong 126, Albemarle 20, Wanda 92, Haythorpe 45, 'Rochdale 37, Larloona 44, 'Boolaboolka 36, Avon 40, Boolkamena 33, Allambie 25, 1 Ashmont 48, Nelia Gaari 50, Balaka 50, Black Gate 52, Appin 60, Big Ante 60, Net-ley 76, Willotia 86, Willabar 79 and Wycoat 70.