THE entire volume of Menindee Lakes
is expected to flow into the lakes
this summer.
Water NSW Executive Manager
Systems Operations, Adrian Langdon
explained the volume expected during
summer will arrive gradually and over the
space of weeks.
“The more capacity we have in the
lakes to capture these inflows, the more
we will lessen the extent of the flood
impact,” he said.
18 gigalitres a day are being released
with the aim of accommodating for the
flood waters coming down the Barwon
Darling River system.
According to Water NSW the Menindee
lakes reached 112% volume in October.
The steady release has had this drop to
94% volume this week.
Menindee has been steady at 8.38m for
a two of days but may exceed minor flood
levels in the first week of 2022.
Mr Langdon said understanding
the local impacts of increased releases
from the lakes is a critical component of
managing the storage.
Water Levels down the Darling
Barwon River.
The flood waters are slowly making
their way down the Darling / Barwon River.
Communities are being kept informed
and prepared by the SES according to NSW
SES Chief Superintendent, David Monk.
“State Emergency Service (SES) are
deploying resources ahead of floodwaters
and has strategically positioned assets
along the river to enable us to to continue
to move resources and respond as the
floodwater arrives,” said Mr Monk.
Major flooding has occurred at
Mungindi on the Queensland border and
is now receding.
Relief from flooding in Mungindi
should occur in the first week of January.
Water level is steady with minor
flooding at Mogil Mogil and still rising at
Collarenebri.
By Monday January 3, 2022 levels
should be peaking at Brewarrina with
moderate flooding.
More than 40,000 mgl a day is
fl owing over Bourke weir and the peak is
not expected to reach there for another
two weeks.
Minor floods are expected at Wilcannia
in mid January, and Menindee may see
minor flooding in the first week of January.
Pooncarie is also expected to exceed
minor flood levels in mid January and
Burtundy in late January.
Flood Safety Advice
The SES advice to avoid drowning
by staying out of rising water and seek
refuge in the highest available places,
stay out of fast flowing waters, creeks and
storm drains and never drive, walk or ride
through floodwater as it can be deceptive
and dangerous.
