FARMERS on the Condamine River floodplain say there are important lessons to be learnt from the major flood currently impacting on the Darling Downs.
In particular, the seemingly unpredictable ways water moved across a constantly changing agricultural landscape.
Flood affected farmer Jason Mundt, Mundalee, Yandilla, said the although the water was slow moving, it had in some cases spread onto paddocks from unexpected directions.
"Every flood is unique, and there is a lot to learn, especially with Inland Rail's plans to build a 16km long levy bank across the floodplain," Mr Mundt said.
"What this one shows is that flood water on farmland is affected by everything on the ground; not just the amount of stubble but also the location of standing crops.
"There is also the density and height of crops to consider and how that can change the direction on water on the landscape.
"This is all critical information that is shared among farmers, but not officially recorded."
Mr Mundt said Inland Rail still needed to explain how it could build a levy bank across the floodplain without exacerbating the flood situation.
"Even a simple thing like knowing the depth of water in all the tributaries and waterways would make a big difference, but there are no depth gauges outside the stream beds," he said.
"Everything is not full; the dams, the rivers, even the soil itself.
"Even a little more rain or a release from a storage is going to see these flood conditions continue."
Inland Rail builder ARTC said had already conducted extensive modelling of the Border to Gowrie section of Inland Rail, which includes the Condamine crossing.
"This includes seven studies and reviews of the route between 2006 and 2020," the statement provided to Queensland Country Life reads.
"ARTC is continuing to collect information that will inform the final design of the project, including data from the current flooding events, which will be provided to our expert hydrology teams."
The latest flood comes as the Independent International Panel of Experts for Flood Studies works to complete its comprehensive review of the flood models developed for Inland Rail in Queensland by Australian Rail Track Corporation.
Panel of Experts chair Mark Babister said once completed the final report would be provided to the Australian and Queensland governments for consideration and release.
Despite a request from Queensland Country Life, no time frame was given for when the review of flood models would be completed or made available.
Millmerran Rail Group chairman Wes Judd said ARTC should adopt an alternative route for Inland Rail away from the Condamine River floodplain.
"We have always asked for one thing - if Inland Rail is to be done, it must be done right," Mr Judd said.
"We continue to argue and continue to be vindicated that the proposed route over the Condamine River floodplain is wrong and it won't work.
"The Panel of Experts draft report in March found so many gaps, omissions and mistakes in the ARTC proposal presented to the Coordinator-General.
"We would urge the Australian and Queensland Governments to release of the panel's report once they receive it, and encourage the Coordinator-General to request further information from the public and ARTC on the draft environment impact statement."
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