MONDAY:
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The Macquarie River is predicted to remain above minor flood level at Wellington as a result of ongoing releases from Burrendong Dam, authorities say.
The river was 5.97 metres and steady at 6am on Monday at the town, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) reported.
Increased releases from Burrendong Dam were possible in the next 48 hours, which could produce further river rises, the SES said in advice issued at 7am Monday.
The situation was being closely monitored and revised predictions would be issued if necessary, it said.
Up to 17 millimetres of rain was recorded in the Macquarie River catchment on Saturday night, which was expected to cause minor flooding at Dubbo and downstream.
The river was 7.44m and steady at Geurie at 6am.
FRIDAY:
The low-level Duke of Wellington Bridge has been closed to cars in a precaution as authorities prepare for renewed minor rural flooding.
Releases from Burrendong Dam increased to 35,000 megalitres (ML) a day on Friday morning.
As a result the Macquarie River at Wellington was at 5.47 metres and rising at 4pm, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) advised.
It was predicted to reach a height of 6.5 metres on Friday night, with minor rural flooding.
Increased releases from Burrendong were possible in the next 48 hours, which could produce further river rises, the SES reported.
“The situation is being closely monitored and revised predictions issued if necessary,” the SES said in its bulletin.
Motor vehicle access to the Duke of Wellington Bridge in Gobolion Street was blocked from mid-afternoon.
Dubbo Regional Council local emergency officer based at Wellington Bryson Rees was at the site.
He said the road had been closed because their information was the water would go over the northern side of the Duke of Wellington bridge.
“We’ve got them up now purely as a precautionary measure so that if it goes over in the dark we have our signs in place,” he said.
Similar sights could be seen for some time yet.
“The press release from the SES and State Water is that this will maintain to 35,000 until the 3rd of October,” Mr Rees said.
“Of course that will depend, if we have a major rain event that can change, but at this point in time, that’s what they’re forecasting.”
He echoed the SES’s appeal to motorists to obey all road closed signs and not to drive through floodwater.
“Stay out of floodwaters is a very simple message,” Mr Rees said.
“We do not want our emergency services putting their lives at risk because people want to put their personal lives at risk.”
On Friday afternoon the swollen and noisy river was already drawing spectators.
Two days ago Water NSW reported in a post to Twitter that flows of 20,000 ML per day were being passed from Burrendong.
The dam was at 137.1 per cent capacity at 11am on Friday, Water NSW reported on its website.
Downstream of Wellington, the river was predicted to remain below minor flood level at Dubbo.
At Narromine it was predicted to reach a renewed minor flood peak on Tuesday.
Ar Warren, where major rural flooding is occurring, it was predicted to reach a height of 9.15 metres on Saturday morning.
A minor flood warning was issued for the Bell River on Friday morning.
The increased flows from Burrendong, combined with previous rainfall in the catchment would result in the minor flooding along the Bell River at Wellington at the weekend, the SES said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
