FLOODING UPDATE #12 – 3pm 3 March 2020
Floodwater surrounding Dirranbandi will remain at major flood level (4.8m) until at least Friday and Hebel can expect rises to major flood level (2m) later in the week.
Balonne Shire Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) Chairman Richard Marsh said the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) had advised the group the river levels at Dirranbandi was at 5.07m this morning.
“The height at Hebel was 1.27m and is likely to exceed the moderate flood level (1.5m) overnight tonight,” he said.
“The predicted peak and timing of the floodwaters in Hebel would depend on the level reached upstream in Dirranbandi.
“The flood gauges at Dirranbandi and Hebel are manual stations and need to be read by someone in the vicinity. This is not ideal and the LDMG will be seeking advice on addressing this for future events.”
Cr Marsh said farmers in Dirranbandi were getting low on fuel supplies, but the town has adequate supplies until Monday.
“A food resupply is expected in Dirranbandi on Friday if the highway is accessible,” he said.
“The Castlereagh Highway is being inspected twice a day to ensure signage is correct and it will be opened as soon as possible.
“The highway from Dirranbandi to Noondoo and Dirranbandi to Hebel is still closed.
“I would advise travellers and residents to check with the www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au site as all of our road information is being fed into that site.”
Cr Marsh said the Bureau of Meteorology has advised there may be isolated showers from ex-TC Esther in the Wallam Creek catchment which due to the saturated catchment may lead to flash flooding.
“Our Council officers in Bollon have not removed all of the levees in the town, so the levee can be put back in place pretty quickly if there is heavy rainfall and flash flooding should occur,” he said.
“Bollon and outlying residents are advised to restock their food and fuel supplies as a precaution.”
The LDMG will remain at stand-up status.
For more information visit www.bom.gov.au; and/or www.sunwater.com.au. For assistance contact the State Emergency Service on 132 500. For local road closures visit https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/ or phone 13 19 40. Dial 000 in an emergency.