Rising river alert - Snowy River below Jindabyne Dam
The NSW Department of Industry today issued a ‘rising river alert’ for the Snowy River between Jindabyne Dam and Dalgety in southern NSW for Wednesday 3 October 2018.
The river will rise due to the third high-flow event in a series of five planned environmental releases from Jindabyne Dam to the Snowy River during 2018.
The highest flow rate will occur at Jindabyne Dam from 7am to 3pm on Wednesday 3 October 2018 and will be equivalent to 2,721 megalitres per day for the eight hour period.
For the remainder of Wednesday 3 October, the flow rate will be about 1,530 megalitres per day. The flow rate will drop back to a target of about 1,280 megalitres per day on Thursday 4 October.
The environmental benefits from this release are expected to be greatest between the dam wall and the junction with the Delegate River. However, the flow pulse will be noticeable well into Victoria.
It is expected to see the river water level at Dalgety rise from 1.00m to 1.28m, a rise of 0.28m and one of four secondary high-flow events for 2018.
It is important to note that water released at Jindabyne will take about six hours to reach Dalgety Weir at this flow rate. Landholders downstream of the Jindabyne Dam are advised to take all necessary precautions with stock, fencing and property in proximity to the river.
The third high-flow event for 2018 has been officially named ‘Billa Bidgee Kapp’, which means Big Water Season, in recognition of the southern Wiradjuri traditional people who have an enduring and strong connection to the upper catchment of the Snowy River.
All five high-flow events in the Snowy River during 2018 have been named by the regional Aboriginal communities - Bidwell-Maap, Wongalu, Southern Monero-Yuin-Bolga, Maneroo-Ngarigo and Wiradjuri - who recognise the link between these high flows and the health of the Snowy River.
The department will work with the NSW State Emergency Service and Bureau of Meteorology to provide information to the community regarding the management of this release should weather conditions warrant.
More information can be found at - www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/basins-catchments/snowy-river/initiative/increased-flows