Rising river alert – Snowy River below Jindabyne Dam

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment today issued a ‘rising river alert’ for the Snowy River between Jindabyne Dam and Dalgety in southern NSW for Tuesday 5, Wednesday 6, Thursday 7 and Friday 8 October 2021.

The river will rise due to the seventh and largest high-flow event in a series of nine planned environmental releases from Jindabyne Dam to the Snowy River during winter and spring 2021.

Environmental water releases into the Snowy River will be above 2,000 megalitres per day for four days.

The highest flow rate will occur at Jindabyne Dam from 8am to 4pm on Wednesday 6 October 2021 and will be equivalent to 10,362 megalitres per day for the eight-hour period.

It is expected to see the river level at Dalgety rise from 1.10 meters on Monday 4 October to 2.01 meters on Wednesday 6 October, a rise of 0.91 metres.

The flow rate will increase on Tuesday 5 October to 2,173 megalitres per day. On Wednesday 6 October flows will increase from 8am up to the peak flow rate of 10,362 megalitres per day.

For the remainder of Wednesday 6 October, the flow rate will be about 6,516 megalitres per day. The flow rate will drop back to about 3,647 megalitres per day on Thursday 7 October, 2,116 megalitres per day on Friday 8 October and 1,123 megalitres on Saturday 9 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 down into Victoria.

Water released at Jindabyne will take about six hours to reach Dalgety Weir at this flow rate and around four days for the flow to arrive at Orbost in Victoria.

Landholders downstream of the Jindabyne Dam are advised to take all necessary precautions with stock, fencing and property in proximity to the river.

The department will work with the NSW State Emergency Service and the Bureau of Meteorology to provide information to the community regarding the management of this release should weather conditions warrant.

Conditions will be closely monitored in the lead up to the release. If heavy rainfall appears likely the release will be reduced or postponed to avoid adverse effects on river levels and an announcement will be made accordingly.

More information can be found at - www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/basins-catchments/snowy-river/initiative/increased-flows