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Source of Flood Water Being Snow
Questioned
The Sydney Morning
Herald
18 February
1845
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Gentlemen,
Observing in one of your numbers a leading article on
the subject of Meteorology, I am induced to trouble you with the following
observations:
In
the article I refer to, I find the following expression: "That the flood of the Murrumbidgee was
occasioned by the melting of the snow on the Australian Alps is the commonly
received notion."
The
writer then proceeds to show the probability that rain only caused the flood
in question.
In
justice to his theory, and in defence of the
observing portion of the Murrumbidgee population, I state, that I never heard
it asserted, except by one or two persons, that the snow on the Snowy
Mountains caused our flood; it was indeed reported in your paper by your
Gundagai correspondent, whose statements in many respects would be improved
by an adherence to facts.
The
Murrumbidgee was much swollen by rains and the melting of snow in September
and the early part of October (being probably on an average from 12 to l8
feet above its summer level).
On
the 12th and 13th an unprecedentedly heavy fall of rain took place) extending
chiefly on the northern side of the Murrumbidgee, from Limestone Plain
downwards.
The
Tumut River was less swollen by this rain than it had been by other rains in
the winter, while the Murrumbidgee rose 12 or 14 feet higher than it had been
during the whole season.
A
very sufficient proof that the melting of snow did not cause the flood is
this: the River Murrumbidgee was highest at Gundagai on Tuesday, the 15th;
the rain which fell on the 12th and 13th, by causing the tributaries to the
river between Limestone and Gundagai to rise, could of course produce the
flood, while sufficient time had not elapsed to allow the melted snow to
arrive by the tortuous course of the river from its source.
I
have only to add, that during the winter of 1844, the rains came from the
eastward and northward; in former winters our rain came from southward and
westward, and rarely from the north-westward.
Though
we have had very hot days, we have hardly had one warm night during this
summer.
I
am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, Observer,
Murrumbidgee, January 27
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