While Tamworth residents have already given up the use of their garden hoses, Gunnedah is watching a gushing Namoi River flood by and enjoying the lightest level of water restrictions.
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Farmers and forecasters alike agree we are in drought, but while Tamworth watches a sinking Chaffey Dam in dismay, Gunnedah is blessing its own borewater system.
Residents have been advised to use water sensibly, but sprinklers continue to run and a fresh release of water from Lake Keepit means the Namoi is in full flight.
“Everything is looking very positive,” Gunnedah mayor Owen Hasler said.
“We have a licence allocation of 3900 megalitres and our maximum usage over the last 10 years has been 2500 megalitres.
“So even if we replicated that, we still have another 1,400,000 litres – nearly half our allocation.”
Gunnedah used a hefty 107 megalitres of water during the heat last week, but its average is about 78 megalitres a week.
Cr Hasler said two of the shire’s bores are out of action at the moment, including bore eight which is the shire’s best performing bore.
The bore on Orange Grove Road is being replaced, with completion slower than expected because of a delay with parts.
“Eight bores are operational and they are coping OK,” Cr Hasler said.
While Tamworth is on level three restrictions, with sprinklers and hoses banned, there is speculation it may move to level four, with all outdoor use of water banned.
Gunnedah is on Level P, which allows fixed hoses and sprinklers between 6-8am and 6-10pm during daylight saving time.
Cr Hasler said the council expected residents to be “water wise” and not waste water.
He said council had been criticised for running town sprinklers during the hot days, but said only the automatic sprinklers could be run late in the evening, while those without timers were turned on at the earliest possible time and usually switched off by 11am.
While the bore water supply continues to hold out, the lack of rain combined with the heat remains a concern to farmers and local wildlife.
A spokesman for the newly created Water NSW, Tony Webber, said water had been released from Keepit Dam this week for the first time since September.
Parts of the river that had completely dried up are now running as Water NSW releases up to 2200 megalitres a day.
“This will continue for up to another fortnight, depending on demand,” Mr Webber said.
“We have surveyed customers and the water is being released according to the results of that.
“We look at when the water is going to be of most benefit, and release it in a block to maximise efficiency.”
Water NSW has also announced it will release up to 61,000 megalitres from Split Rock Dam into Keepit Dam starting tomorrow.
The release will continue until about January 22.
The move is to meet demand in the Lower Namoi Valley between Keepit Dam and Walgett over summer.
“Water NSW has consulted with the Manilla water users, Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, NSW Office of Water and the general community to develop a release pattern that involved minimal disruption,” Water NSW acting manager water delivery Craig Cahill said.
He said the transfer of water had been delayed for as long as possible to wait for more favourable weather conditions, and would continue to be monitored during the process.
“With the additional water transferred into Keepit, the needs of downstream water users can be met for longer,” Mr Cahill said.
While the water will be welcomed by users of Keepit and those downstream, Water NSW predicts that through the transfer of water, Split Rock Dam will be only 3 per cent full by June next year and Keepit Dam will hold only 2 per cent.
Mr Webber said these figures were estimates based on release information and weather forecasts.
Keepit Dam is currently at 12 per cent, with Chaffey at 35 per cent.
While Chaffey Dam is undergoing a $50 million upgrade to increase its capacity it will be some time before work is completed, and the dam level will still depend on rainfall.
Bureau of Meteorology experts have predicted a hotter and drier summer than normal.
Gunnedah is looking at its coolest weekend for sometime, with maximums of 32 degrees predicted for Saturday and 34 for Sunday. Possible showers are forecast for the week ahead.