Following a public information session at 4pm on Tuesday, 4 December at The Stables, WaterNSW will revise its forecast flow peaks in line with feedback after meeting with customers and other stakeholders.
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An intended flow peak of 1500 megalitres per day (ML/day) will now be initially scaled back to 900 ML/day after Cudgegong irrigators expressed concern about potential water quality impacts due to higher flows.
WaterNSW will commence the 35 gigalitres transfer from January 1 and monitor water quality during the transfer with a view to possibly increasing this peak flow to achieve greater environmental outcomes.
WaterNSW had earlier advised Midwestern Regional Council and a key stakeholder group that the bulk water transfer between Windamere and Burrendong Dams scheduled for January will take place in two distinct stages.
A second 13 GL phase of the transfer will occur mid-year, leaving a minimum of 70GL in Windamere.
At last Tuesday’s meeting the Cudgegong Valley Water Security Committee and council emphasised the need for adequate communication during the transfer event to ensure impacts on water users, Cudgegong irrigators and landholders and the environment were minimised.
A key component of this strategy is encouraging the public to register for the WaterNSW early warning network (EWN) which can send automated messages on dam releases and river information.
Inflows to Burrendong Dam have been approximately a quarter of the previous record low inflow, confirming that the Macquarie system has entered a new drought-of-record.
Windamere and Burrendong storages provide water security for customers in the Macquarie Cudgegong Valley. Transfers occur from Windamere to Burrendong when the storage levels drop to ensure reliability of supply to all customers.
