Wyangala target 91 per cent by end July

A meeting of the Lachlan Valley airspace reference panel on 26 June gave support to a WaterNSW plan to gradually lower the Wyangala storage from the current 96% of capacity to 91% by the end of July, to provide the buffer.

The Lachlan Valley airspace reference panel includes representatives of local government, irrigation groups, environmental water holders and other key government agencies.

Wyangala neared its full supply level this month after some 140 gigalitres of inflows for the month of June - significantly higher than expected according to the notes from the airspace committee meeting.

Those flows peaks at 60 gigalitres a day, the dam holding the bulk of that and releasing just six a day at the time.

Wyangala Dam holds approximately 1200 gigalitres at 100% of capacity (full supply). In November 2022 during the height of the flooding the dam received inflow of 800 gigalitres. In the three months from October to December 2022 the total inflow figure was approximately 1700 gigalitres.

There are constraints on releases as flood repairs continue at and around Lake Brewster Weir, Water NSW advised earlier this month.

Flows into the dam in June have triggered translucent flow rules under the water sharing plan, with releases increased to 8GL in line with that

Looking to the Bureau of Meteorology's long-range forecast, there is a La Nina Watch for Spring but that's not a guarantee the wet weather system will eventuate.

While the central west has had soaking Autumn rains, setting up for the winter cropping season, other regions in the south and west have remained dry and could do so.

May was wetter than usual in a band stretching from north west to south east, covering our region.

The Bureau says large areas can expect typical rainfall levels this winter, some southern central areas and parts of the coast could receive above average rainfall.