WITH the two block banks removed across the Lower Darling River south of Pooncarie in Far West NSW, recently-released headwaters are moving increasingly closer to the River Murray junction at Wentworth, NSW.
WaterNSW issued a statement to local landholders on Friday saying Lower Darling River flows were exceeding expectations, with more, better quality water making its way further down the river.
“Flow rates at the Darling River Anabranch offtake have been consistently higher than forecast and remain at about 1300 megalitres a day,” the statement said.
“Losses which were expected because of the dry river bed have not been as high as originally forecast.
“Significant flows arrived at Pooncarie on Thursday last week and are already at a rate of 650mgL/day downstream, having filled the Pooncarie weir pool.”
The block banks – one at Jamesville Station, 55 kilometres south of Pooncarie, and one at Old Burtundy Station a further 10km downstream – were installed by WaterNSW in late 2014 to hold the water back for local landholders.
The Lower Darling stopped flowing in December.
The headwaters breached the bank at Old Burtundy on Monday night and were now thought to be fast approaching Wentworth.
Tulney Point Station owner Rachel Strachan said the river flowing past their property, which was across the river from Old Burtundy, was a “wonderful surprise”.
“It has gotten down here quicker than we thought,” she said.
“Hopefully this will mean our 40pc high security water allocation can now be increased and the restrictions on what we are allowed to water will be lifted.”
The NSW DPI said the 40pc figure would remain as the inflows to the Lower Darling were insufficient to relax water restrictions.
“But they are under review,” a statement said.
Alisha Fogden
Journalist at Australian Community Media newspapers since 2007.
Journalist at Australian Community Media newspapers since 2007.
