Barrier Daily Truth

Flood could be largest since ‘76

Saturday, 11th February, 2012

By Emily Roberts

For the third time in two years floodwaters have triggered pre-releases from the Menindee Lakes storage, as towns and properties along the Darling brace for what could be the largest flood event in 35 years.

With the lakes’ storage brimming as a result of inflows earlier this summer, authorities have acted in a bid to make room for the impending additional flows which will arrive in two waves.

The first will come from floodwater travelling down the Moonie, Namoi and Gwydir Rivers, and will be followed by flood flows from the Queensland Rivers.

The pre-releases, which started Thursday last week, have already seen flows increase to 23,000 megalitres per day, up from 15,000 ML/d per day, and are expected to reach 35,000 ML/d per day by next Friday.

The NSW Office of Water said the releases to the Lower Darling will make room for the inflows that are expected to arrive in March and April, and should protect the township of Menindee from extensive flooding.

But Deputy Regional Controller for the Far West SES, Marc Coulter said a number of other communities around the region are already beginning to be isolated by floodwaters.

Mr Coulter said Tilpa, upstream of Wilcannia, will be isolated for up to four to five weeks and the SES is looking at a plan to address resupply issues.

However he said the SES don’t expect any problems with Wilcannia.

“In Wilcannia, there will be an 11 metre hike (for water levels), but we don’t expect any problems and the town won’t be isolated,” Mr Coulter said.

In Menindee, Mr Coulter said State Water and the SES are working closely together to ensure the flooding doesn’t affect town residents.

He said the floodwaters will affect some properties and as flows increase, the SES will ensuring all properties owners are kept up-to-date with bulletins.

While the full extent of the flood flows into the Barwon-Darling system is not yet fully clear, peaks are expected to be significantly higher than last summer and even greater than those experienced in 1998.

This could result in the largest flood in the Barwon-Darling system since 1976.

Central Darling Shire deputy mayor and Menindee resident Moya Reid said the flows were starting to affect locals who live further downstream and upstream of the township.

“People are moving out, they are moving in with friends and family here or up to higher ground,” she said.

Cr Reid said all the locals were in a state of general preparedness.

“The road to Pooncarie and low lying roads will probably close and the east side Wilcannia/Pooncarie road is closed, so we will have to wait and see.

“Locals are in just a general state of preparedness, they have been through it before and know what to do.

“We are quite concerned for the residents in Tilpa, which is just 300 kilometres from Menindee.”

Fellow Councillor Ron Page, another Menindee resident, said he was concerned about the flows as the area around his home was flooding at the moment.

Cr Page lives on the Darling River and said his verandah is just a stone’s throw away from the river.

“Some people who have to leave their homes because of flooding, have to stay away for three or four months at a time and they can’t get back into their house,” he said.

“They struggle to find housing accommodation. We normally stay here and last time we were 100 per cent flooded in.

“We love living on the river, so we try and stay even when it floods.”

Mr Page said he has had sand delivered to make up sand bags and he has a large supply of rain water and food.

Another CDS councillor, Wilcannia resident Paul Brown said things were okay in the town and there are no real problems.

“The levels are at 9.9 metres and they were 10.5 metres this time last year,” Cr Brown said.

“It cuts off roads and affects some properties in the northern area. But there is nothing out of the ordinary and the town won’t be affected.”

Early yesterday morning, advice was received that access to Lightning Ridge had been cut, bringing to 8768 the total number of people isolated by floodwaters.

The main areas isolated are Lightning Ridge/New Angledool and surrounds, Collarenebri and surrounds, Walgett, Pilliga, Wee Waa, Weemelah, Mungindi, Tilpa, Louth, Darkwood, and Weilmoringle.

Mr Coulter said the SES was stressing the importance for people not to walk or drive through floodwaters.

“The SES request that people don’t walk or drive through floodwaters as it is an extremely dangerous thing to do.”

If residents need help they can contact the SES on 132 500 or (02) 6879 7100.