Goulburn-Murray Water has provided an update on the ongoing flooding in the Goulburn catchment and whether the Loch Garry regulator will be operated.
This event has been primarily triggered by substantial flows in the tributaries and creeks downstream of Lake Eildon.
At its peak on Monday, January 8, the Goulburn River at Seymour witnessed a daily flow of about 66,000 megalitres.
During this period, Lake Eildon’s releases were maintained at a rate of 1000Ml per day.
As of 10am on Tuesday, January 9, these releases had increased to 3000Ml per day.
This remains well below the minor flood level, which is set at 12,700Ml per day.
Further adjustments may be required in the days ahead, although these releases will consistently be maintained below the minor flood level.
The Campaspe River at Barnadown is experiencing flows exceeding 42,700Ml per day, with spills from Eppalock averaging about 3800Ml per day.
Lake Eppalock itself reached a peak flow of about 6600Ml per day at 1am on Tuesday.
This level remains below the minor flood threshold.
Water is expected to continue to spill from Lake Eppalock over several days as the storage level gradually decreases.
Hourly inflows into Eppalock reached a peak of 115,000Ml per day at 2am on Monday, but by 2pm, they had reduced to about 50,000Ml per day.
G-MW incident controller Warren Blyth said after the October floods in 2022, G-MW appointed a committee to conduct a review of the Loch Garry operating rules.
He said the committee developed and endorsed a revised set of operating rules that were approved by the G-MW board in August 2023.
“The revised operating rules will ensure the regulator can be operated differently depending on the nature of the flood, enabling the rules to be effectively applied in different scenarios,” Mr Blyth said.
“The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting the Goulburn River at Shepparton is likely to reach 10.36m on Wednesday, January 10 or Thursday, January 11.
“The river heights the bureau is anticipating would trigger the scenario in the operating rules for when river levels do not exceed 11m.
“This scenario involves the regulator being operated 24 hours after the Goulburn River reaches 10.36m at Shepparton.”
He said G-MW encouraged people in the Loch Garry district to familiarise themselves with the revised operating rules by visiting the G-MW website: https://bitly.ws/39bAk
Mr Blyth also said Loch Garry Flood Protection customers would be notified by SMS if the regulator was to be operated.
“Operations at Loch Garry do not have any impact on water levels at Shepparton,” he said.