Chaffey Dam nears full capacity, New England's dams rising

Chaffey Dam continues to set and break new records with every per cent it rises – it’s currently sitting at 80.6 per cent, or 80,000 megalitres.

With more rain expected next week, Chaffey could reach its maximum 100,000-megalitre capacity in a matter of days.

Tamworth Regional Council’s water director Bruce Logan said to hit 100 per cent, the region would need another 25mm to 50mm of rain “relatively soon” while the ground is still wet.

Mr Logan said the rain couldn’t have come at a better time, with the recently-completed upgrade giving the dam an extra 38,000-megalitre capacity.

“It’s fantastic, the augmentation was finished in May and here we are in September with 80 per cent looking at 100,” Mr Logan said.

Just after the upgrade was completed, level four water restrictions were imposed on Tamworth after the dam dropped below 35 per cent (or 20 per cent in the old measurement).

But Mr Logan doubts that will happen again any time soon.

“It’s so much more additional water – I’d be confident even if it didn’t rain – we aren’t looking at water restrictions for a couple of years,” Mr Logan said.

Dungowan Dam is as full as it gets without overflowing, at 99.9 per cent, with just under 6300 megalitres. Lake Keepit was down to the single figures in May, but now it’s at 67 per cent (287,000 megalitres) and rising.

Split Rock Dam has struggled this year, getting as low as 4 per cent – so low waterskiers had to look out for rogue fence posts and tree stumps.

It’s now at 21 per cent, which may not sound like much, but with 89,000 megalitres it’s holding more water than Chaffey and Dungowan put together.

The gigantic Copeton Dam has 576,000 megalitres and is only sitting at 41 per cent.

In June, Quipolly Dam was sitting at the lowest level ever recorded by Liverpool Plains Shire Council. On Friday, it overflowed for the first time since it was upgrade earlier this year, sitting at a health 8000 megalitres. The $6.4m augmentation was council’s biggest single capital project and increased the dam’s capacity 2800 megalitres.