Carrington Falls - nearly bone dry.

If you ever want to see Carrington Falls, when it is "memorable" go now.

There is so little flow in the Upper Kangaroo River at present that I estimate the flow is about as little as one could pour with a large bucket. The entire flow of the River trickles through two low points in the Rock Bar, which is otherwise totally dry. These two trickles are each less than a hand-span wide.

By contrast, here is a post about Carrington Falls when it was running fairly high, on 1 March 2012. That is far from a record high flow. The bridge over the Kangaroo River has been known to "go under" apparently - I have never seen it that high.

To me this nearly dry river flow is a real sign of how dry the local bush is. I need not spell out the corresponding fire danger.

I have been noting how poorly the local Orchids are growing (hardly flowering at all). But this lack of flow in the Upper Kangaroo River is really measurable. 

Remember this river rises on Knights Hill and the sandstone heath country on the low side of Jamberoo Mountain Road. There is simply no flow from the heath country, or the western side of the Basalt Cap of Knights Hill.
Nellies Glen, which comes from the northern side of the local plateau, over towards Lees Road, has no flow at all.

A couple standing close to the top of Carrington Falls.
Where they are standing would be impossible to stand
in normal flow, let along heavy flow.
The entire flow of Kangaroo River
is flowing down through a narrow crevice in the rocks
on the left hand side of the Falls
(in line with the huge rocks behind).

.

Carrington Falls - full view, right to the pool at bottom
The flow would be
about as much as you could pour
from a medium sized bucket.

.

Carrington Falls (top half)

One half of the Kangaroo River flowing to the Falls.
Less than a hand-span wide.

The other half of the Kangaroo River.
(I kid you not)
My hat is there for scale

Dry "rock bar"
(the Old Ford as used by the original timber cutters)

On another note, my neighbour Matt, was also at Carrington Falls today, it seems, and he has posted a You Tube video of a very healthy Echidna, looking for ants (or Termites most likely) in a dead tree trunk.
Click on this link: http://youtu.be/bYr2kLQ706Y
The video runs for just over one Minute. Well worth a look.