Thanks to widespread rain, as of the end of November 2021 many water storages were over 90% capacity, providing increased water security for people, industries and the environment. For the first time since 2017, water is flowing down the Great Darling Anabranch, providing fresh flow for vegetation, fish, birds and communities.
The turnaround is great for water security, but it’s not all good news as the rain and subsequent flooding has destroyed crops and delayed grain harvest in parts of the Basin where communities are still dealing with flood waters inundating homes and businesses.
With La Niña now confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology, the likelihood of above average rainfall and flooding is possible until February 2022.
The MDBA is responsible for managing Hume Dam, upstream of Albury. We work with the Bureau of Meteorology, WaterNSW and the SES to keep communities informed about dam operations, and to mitigate the risk of flooding downstream of the dam where they can. As of 30 November 2021 Hume Dam was sitting at 99.4% capacity.
The MDBA’s river operators are continuing to work around the clock to assess new inflow and weather information and manage releases from the dam accordingly.
Meanwhile, Basin governments are also working hard to manage flooding, particularly in northern and central New South Wales where water storages have increased significantly and are spilling.