Tinaroo Falls Dam drops to 55 per cent capacity

Farmers on the Atherton Tablelands, west of Cairns, are looking to the skies and hoping for a large downpour to help fill up Tinaroo Falls Dam, ahead of this weekend’s heatwave. The major irrigation source and recreational hotspot has dropped to 55 per cent capacity. Sandy islands have begun appearing in the middle of the dam and tree stumps, usually well under the water, are clearly visible.While it is not the lowest the dam has ever dropped — the record low is 23 per cent and was set in 2003 — president of FNQ Growers Joe Moro said the situation was far from ideal.