Planning water crossings

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Planning water crossings

Postby leech_fodder » Fri 25 Mar, 2022 3:59 pm

Given the record amount of rain we've had in NSW this year, how is everyone planning water crossings?

I recently tried to take my young children camping at Mirang Pool, and found the creek impassable. If something as pedestrian as that is problematic, trying to plan anything more remote seems impossible.
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Re: Planning water crossings

Postby sandym » Sat 26 Mar, 2022 6:21 am

River heights data helps:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/flood/rain_river.shtml

If you click around on that site you can also get latest rainfall in the catchment areas which you can keep an eye on ahead of your planned trip. Although only select locations are covered it can give you a pretty good idea.

Locally, I have found that most creeks/rivers I am crossing are falling fairly quickly after the end of the latest big rain event but YMMV.

The added problem of all this rain is the regrowth is so intense that many old trails have been completely lost.
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Re: Planning water crossings

Postby leech_fodder » Sat 26 Mar, 2022 2:28 pm

Thanks! That river data is quite helpful, although it would be nice if it had a bit more history to for context.

Now all I need is similar data for leech populations...
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Re: Planning water crossings

Postby Warin » Sat 26 Mar, 2022 4:00 pm

leech_fodder wrote:Now all I need is similar data for leech populations...


Have not had any for years, I have now had 2 at home... they are certainly around with all this wet weather.
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Re: Planning water crossings

Postby keithj » Sat 26 Mar, 2022 4:17 pm

leech_fodder wrote:Thanks! That river data is quite helpful, although it would be nice if it had a bit more history to for context.

Exactly - see https://www.whatworkedforme.com/blog/posts/RiverLevels/

leech_fodder wrote:Now all I need is similar data for leech populations...
Can't help with that, but there may be a lagged correlation with river levels.
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Re: Planning water crossings

Postby sandym » Sat 26 Mar, 2022 5:37 pm

leech_fodder wrote:Thanks! That river data is quite helpful, although it would be nice if it had a bit more history to for context.

Now all I need is similar data for leech populations...


Fair enough. I find it useful to keep a rough eye on the river data if I am thinking of a bushwalk in the near future. Not a thing I was in the habit of pre ALL THIS RAIN!
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