SpencerGulfCanal

Revision as of 10:07, 4 March 2008

Spencer Gulf is the South Australian gulf which faces Lake Eyre (famously dry and below sea level)

There have been proposals in the past (by nutters) to build a canal from Spencer Gulf to permenantly fill Lake Eyre and Lake Torrens.

This page is for brainstorming this idea, with an eye towards the following rational to do so.

In an environmentally sound planet, this idea is insane, as it fundamentally will alter the climate if Australia's dry interior. However, in these times of global climate change, might we assume that this interior climate will change regardless. Therefore that reason for dismissing ideas such as this are no longer valid. Should we reconsider? ...discuss

What

The basic idea is a canal to Lake Torrens which is approximately 100km overland from sea. Lake Torrens has been naturally dry for all but one of the last 150 years of white settlement in the area. This lake, if filled, would then provide vast amounts of water (saline, but evaporation/precipitation would bring clean water) to the area. A further canal to Lake Eyre would easily fill this below-sea-level lake to become permenantly full. (currently it has water approximately one year in three)

Alternative: Lake Frome

According to the sea level predictor (linked below), Lake Torrens is at least 14m above sea level. However Lake Frome to the east is below sea level, as are several connecting lakes between Frome and Eyre. The Frome canal would appear to be a larger undertaking than either canals around Lake Torrens however, skirting the southern edge of the flinders ranges. In addition, one of the lakes between Frome and Eyre is Lake Callabonna - which is a fossil reserve.

Places

Lake Torrens

Unknown elevation

Lake Eyre

Below sea level

Lake Frome

Below sea level

How

• A 'sea canal' from the top of Spencer Gulf would link sea waters to Lake Torrens. Approximately 50km in length.
• A 'lakes canal' to link Lake Torrens to Lake Eyre. Approximately 80km in length.

This would be an engineering work in the same magnitude as the Panama and Suez canals.

Arguments For

• Extra water in Australia's interior will vastly increase the possible land use
  • evaporation -> clouds -> rainfall on the western dividing range
• There has been an inland sea there before (approx 100million years ago), so who is to say that environmental preservation should preserve the 'now' over the 'then'?

Arguments Against

• Haven't we done enough damage?
• unpredictable outcome
• massive money spent
• extra water in the Australian interior does not nescessarily make the land any more fertile.

Links

• Google map view of idea
• [http://flood.firetree.net/?ll=-30.9022,139.3396&z=10&m=1&t=2 Estimated water levels in this area at 1m above sea level. Note Lake Frome to the south-east of Eyre, and the connecting sea-level lakes between.