THE region’s dams have had little benefit from the rain this week, despite some areas getting more in 36 hours than they’d had in any one of the past 12 months.
According to WaterNSW figures Friday afternoon, water levels in most dams were still falling, including Pindari at 42 per cent of capacity, Copeton at 19 per cent and Keepit at 4 per cent.
General security water users in the Namoi Valley will be watching the latter figure closely in coming weeks, after the state body warned they’d be cut off next month if the dam didn’t receive a significant rain top-up.
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In a regional update uploaded to its site on Friday, WaterNSW said a block release from Keepit was delivering customers’ water, but “due to the dry conditions, transmission losses have been higher than previous conservative estimates”.
A draw-down to Keepit from Split Rock left the latter at 5 per cent and falling despite the rain, but enough would “be left in storage to meet critical needs for the next two years”.
Chaffey was at 44 per cent, holding steady after the rain and close to the 40 per cent mark that would trigger residential water restrictions in Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal.
“Forecasting suggests that if we stay on this same trajectory, we would be looking at applying the next level of water restrictions in the new year,” a spokesperson said.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded some of the biggest falls at Gunnedah with 72mm, the head of the Peel River at Nundle with 64.8mm, Duri with 64.4mm, and Glen Innes with 58.2mm.
Some of the rain gains on Tuesday and Wednesday were lost on Thursday and Friday, with dry, dusty and windy conditions caused by a deep low-pressure system.
That had been “throwing some wild and, in parts, quite hazardous weather” at NSW and the ACT, BOM spokeswoman Jane Golding said, and would “continue to have impacts into the weekend”.
“People need to continue to watch for warnings as they are changing quite frequently,” Ms Golding said.
“We’re working very closely with a large number of other agencies including fire, emergency services and health to help keep people safe, but people also need to watch for changes that could put them at risk.”
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
