VICSES Hume duty officer Michael Isbister said there had been some minor flood warnings prompted by river levels in the area during the past three weeks and that as certain catchments reacted faster to regular winter rainfall, minor flood levels could reoccur throughout the season.
According to VICSES, despite predictions of below-median rainfall and drier conditions, the likelihood of high flows and potential riverine flooding persisted.
This was due to saturated catchments and the ever-present possibility of significant rain events.
In response, local water and catchment management authorities, VICSES and the Bureau of Meteorology provide regular updates through the VicEmergency app and the bureau website and weather app.
The organisations said communities should undertake proactive measures to lessen potential flood-related incidents or storm damage.
Recommended precautions include keeping the VicEmergency app updated, setting up a watch zone on the app, regularly checking advice warnings, cleaning gutters, downpipes, and drains, and securing loose objects during storms.
The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority acknowledged the heightened water levels along the Goulburn River and the concerns it could pose, particularly for communities severely affected during the spring 2022 flood event.
The CMA’s floodplain manager Guy Tierney encouraged people to use the Goulburn Broken Community Flood Intelligence Portal, available on its website, to better understand their flood risk.
Goulburn-Murray Water said it would continue to make releases from Lake Eildon to create room for further inflows into the storage, which is 97.3 per cent full (as of July 3).
G-MW water storage services general manager Martina Cusack said depending on the rainfall received and catchment response, the release might be increased from the current 12,000 megalitres a day.
Increased releases could potentially exceed the minor flood level downstream of Lake Eildon, which is a flow of about 12,700Ml a day.
“We are working with the SES and local councils to ensure landholders are aware of the potential for river levels to rise,” Ms Cusack said.
“We encourage landholders to consider what further river rises might mean for their property, livestock and infrastructure.”
