Flooding in the region is still occurring around Moree, with peaks due through this week, but the Namoi River and areas around Gunnedah look like they will be spared any major inundation.
FLOODING in the region is still occurring around Moree, with peaks due through this week, but the Namoi River and areas around Gunnedah look like they will be spared any major inundation.
Acting region controller for Namoi Region SES Andrew Galvin said falls in the Namoi catchment had been fairly isolated.
“We’ve been very lucky – we’ve had heavy falls but they’ve been isolated,” Mr Galvin said.
At 2.30pm yesterday in Gunnedah the Kamilaroi Highway was open with caution because of water over the road at Watermark Crossing.
Goscombe Rd was closed, as was Round Hill Rd, Trinkey Forest Rd, Mooki River Rd and Long Point Rd.
Open with caution were: Pine Cliff Rd, Clifton Rd, Bulunbulun Rd and The Dip Rd.
Further north yesterday morning the North West region SES issued a minor flood warning for the Barwon River at Mungindi where it is expected to exceed the minor flood level (6.1 metres) tomorrow, reaching 6.6 metres around Saturday.
Yesterday afternoon at Mungindi, it was steady at 4.2 metres and falling at Mogil Mogil (2.76 metres).
The confluence of the Macintyre and Weir rivers is around 21 kilometres upstream of Mungindi where they form the Barwon River.
Minor flooding continued yesterday along the Macintyre River at Boggabilla, where the river was expected to peak late yesterday.
Minor flooding was occurring downstream of Boggabilla on the Macintyre River in the Terrewah area where the river was steady at 5.96 metres at 11am yesterday.
There is a flood warning current for the Weir River (Qld).
Yesterday’s river heights were: Macintyre River at 11.30am at Boggabilla – 7.21m and rising; and Macintyre River at 9am at Goondiwindi – 6.27m and rising.
The Oxley Highway has reopened under alternating traffic conditions (stop/slow) at Long Flat.
Failford Rd has also reopened at Failford after being closed due to flooding.
A number of roads remain closed across NSW due to flooding including: The Thunderbolts Way – closed near Carsons Lookout at Gloucester due to a landslip; The Bucketts Way – closed in both directions at Gloucester Rd in Burrell Creek; Comboyne Road – closed between Comboyne and Byabarra due to a landslip; and The Carnarvon Highway – closed between Garah and Mungindi.
But a predicted minor flood warning for the Mehi River from Gwydir River inflows had now been withdrawn by the SES, said Steve Basham, deputy region controller for the SES North West region.
“It didn’t go into the Mehi at all, which is a good thing,” he said.
But Moree Plains Shire Council had been shutting rural roads since last Friday, he said.
The SES had also issued a minor flood warning for the Gwydir River at Gravesend.
Rural overland flooding was occurring in the Big Leather and Gingham watercourses about 40-50 kilometres on the Collarenebri side of Moree, Mr Basham said.
Heavy rain had fallen in the Berrygil Creek locality of Moree Plains Shire and may cause rural overland flooding in the Terry Hie Hie area and along Tycannah Creek to the Newell Highway.
At Boggabilla, a minor flood warning was in place, with the river still rising (7.46 metres).
“The elderly in our world tell us this is what used to occur in a typical season,” Mr Basham said.