SOUTH WEST QUEENSLAND RIVER FLOWS CONTINUE TO BOOST HOPES OF RURAL COMMUNITIES

Widespread storms across south west Queensland continue to deliver benefits for rural communities and the environment.

“This is not the end of the drought but it’s a promising start to the wet season,’’ Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said.

“Some areas unfortunately have missed out but there appears to be more good news than bad. The highest weekly rainfall total was 79mm at Mulga Downs, 100km south-west of Bollon.’’

Mr Wallace said significant flows had occurred in the Balonne River at St George with 142,000 megalitres recorded at the Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW) gauging station in the past week.

“At the Cotswold gauging station on the lower Condamine, 15,000 megalitres has passed for the week. This is only a modest figure but it’s still great news for farmers,’’ he said.

“Decent flows have also been recorded in the Warrego River at Wallen (north of Cunnamulla) with around 60,000 megalitres passing through in the past week and some 420,000 megalitres since the beginning of December.’’

Mr Wallace said NRW was monitoring flows and managing the release of water to achieve a broad range of outcomes.

Two New South Wales gauging stations in the vicinity of the QLD-NSW border have recorded flows of 77,000ML in the Warrego River at Barringun and 181,000ML at Cuttaburra Creek in the past week. Cuttaburra is a flood runner of the Warrego River.

“In the Central region, the highest rainfall recorded in the past week was 59mm at Taroom. Fairbairn Dam has had significant in-flows with the storage now at around 28 per cent (387,000ML). This is up from 220,000ML prior to the recent rains,” Mr Wallace said.

“The entire Dawson River has had great flows in the past three weeks with all the major weirs now overflowing,’’ he said.

‘‘It is a similar picture in the Mackenzie River with all weirs now topping. The Fitzroy River weirs have also filled.’’

The Isaac-Connors River system has had only minor flows over the past two weeks with just 4000ML recorded in the lower Isaac River at Yatton.

Media contacts: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.