MAJOR FLOODING POSSIBLE IN THE HAWKESBURY OVER THE WEEKEND – BOM

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued two warnings this morning and early afternoon, which include our region, for heavy rainfall into Saturday and over the weekend, as well as a Flood Watch – up from yesterday’s Flood Alert – for minor to major flooding possible for Macdonald, Colo and Hawkesbury rivers.

MAJOR FLOODING POSSIBLE IN THE HAWKESBURY NEPEAN VALLEY OVER THE WEEKEND – says BOM.

Warragamba Dam is at 97% on Friday – the same as it was yesterday – and WaterNSW reported earlier they are testing the side radial gates for short periods between 12-2pm.

“There’s frustration that the dam is so high and that during June there wasn’t any water spilled to allow that level to drop,” said Macquarie MP Susan Templeman this morning.

“That is a huge frustration that people express.”

“No significant downstream impacts are expected,” WaterNSW says of its radial gate testing, but at this stage they are not letting water out to bring the dam level down.

MP Templeman said the forecast is not what we want, given the flood events we’ve endured this last three years.

The heavy rainfall alert covers Sydney Metropolitan, which includes the Hawkesbury and is expected, says BOM, to develop during Saturday and continue over into Sunday, with more rain forecast for this coming week.

“HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast for the Illawarra and Sydney Metropolitan districts, developing during Saturday and continuing during Sunday. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 to 150mm are possible,” says a BOM spokesperson.

“There is the potential for an East Coast Low to develop overnight Sunday or early Monday off the coast, which would prolong this heavy rainfall event into early next week, with consecutive days of heavy rainfall possible. If an East Coast Low does form, damaging wind gusts will become a risk late on Sunday and into next week, depending on the strength and location of the low.”

A Flood Watch has also been issued and BOM says major flooding is possible in the Hawkesbury Nepean Valley over the weekend. “Rainfall is expected to intensify further in the new week and may cause additional river rises and flooding along the NSW coast. “Water storages are near capacity. “Catchments soil moisture is average to wet along the NSW coast. “The weather system is expected to cause flooding for the catchments listed from Saturday.”

Upper Nepean River minor to major flooding Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean Rivers minor to major flooding Upper Coxs River Colo River minor to major flooding Macdonald River

“Well, it’s not the forecast we want to be hearing,” said Ms Templeman.

“And there is everything from fear to frustration in the community, as well as some frenetic activity today, as people start to prepare.

“There’s also real fear that now that we have, the vegetable growers have full paddocks – in fact, one told me that they went to the markets for the first time last Saturday with a crop – and that that full paddock could now be subject to another big flood.

“So they’re really fearful of that, and turf farmers tell me that they think their farms just finally after three months look like a turf farm again. So it’s hard to describe the level of anxiety and just how, the response to this, I think people will act really fast over the next couple of days. But that is the last thing anyone wanted.”

If you are already a Hawkesbury Post supporter, thank you! Our site is free, relying on our supporters to operate. Independent journalism is more important than ever, please consider contributing.

Click here to see how

Don’t pay so you can read it. Pay so everybody can read it!