WaterNSW adds gauging tools to measure Far West flow

Working closely with the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) WaterNSW reactivated a dormant gauging site at Porter’s Crossing last week with work underway to connect the site via telemetry to the statewide network WaterNSW operates on behalf of the NSW Government.

In addition, WaterNSW crews are on the ground today to identify sites to install manual gauges to measure river heights at two additional locations on the Paroo River.

The additional gauging capacity will assist SES in responding to any impacts arising from the Paroo, which has already resulted in people being isolated in the Wanaaring area.

In the Barwon-Darling system WaterNSW estimates that 600-1000 gigalitres of water will flow into Menindee lakes in the coming weeks, potentially taking the storage to about 90% capacity if the upper end of the forecast volume is received.

WaterNSW has started moving water from the upper lakes into Lake Menindee to receive the anticipated inflows sometime in May, according to WaterNSW executive manager operations, Ronan Magaharan.

“At this stage, based on the current forecast, we anticipate that the Darling River’s contribution to the lakes will be a welcome return to water security and not result in flood operations at the Menindee Lakes,” he said.

“We will continue monitoring the situation and if that forecast changes we will advise the community immediately.

“The additional gauging apparatus on the Paroo – which is an unregulated river that seldom runs or joins the Darling River – will help authorities like the SES and WaterNSW better understand the contribution that river will make to overland flooding in the state’s far western corner, and inflows to the Menindee lakes potentially.”

Water releases from Menindee lakes have increase from 1200 megalitres per day (ML/day) to 3000 ML/day at the request of the Murray Darling Basin Authority.