ALN logo; link to Arid Lands Newsletter Home page No. 59, August 2007
What's so special about drylands?

Price: Figures 2 and 3: Charleville flood and Steiger vortex guns

Figure 2 (right)
The April 1990 flood in Charleville, Queensland, Australia, occurred when heavy rain (upwards of 150 cm over three days) caused the Warrego River to rise rapidly, breaking levees and cresting at a record high 8.5 meters (~27.8 feet). Note that the houses with stilts are doing better in the flood than those without! Image credit: Australian Government, Bureau of Meteorology (http://www.bom.gov.au). Copyright Commonwealth of Australia; reproduced by permission.
picture of Charleville, Queensland under heavy flooding
Steiger Vortext Guns in Charleville, Queensland Figure 3 (left)
Steiger Vortex Guns were designed to be fired into the atmosphere to “make” rain. In an effort to break a severe drought in 1902, six of them were placed around Charleville by Professor Clement Wragge, Queensland Government Meteorologist and were fired on 26 September. Unfortunately, they didn't work. Image credit: Australian Government, Bureau of Meteorology (http://www.bom.gov.au), Charleville office. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia; reproduced by permission.

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