Raising Warragamba Dam probably can't stop floods. There's a simpler solution closer to home

Rain is everywhere, like sunshine on solar panels. Why not collect and use it locally, leaving the existing dam for flood mitigation?Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastWarragamba Dam was built in 1960 to hold water from the Dyarubbin (Nepean-Hawkesbury River) as a water supply for Sydney. It also had some flood-mitigation potential, to hold back water when it wasn't full.During droughts when the dam had "too little water", a desalination plant was built at Botany Bay. Now, when it has "too much water" in floods, there is a push to raise the dam wall to increase its volume. The New South Wales premier has declared he will build it, with or without federal funding.Sign up for our free morning and afternoon email newsletters from Guardian Australia for your daily news roundup Continue reading...