Following recent significant rainfall events, Jindabyne Dam reached full supply level on Monday 20 December and commenced spilling into the Snowy River.
Up to 140mm of rain was recorded in Snowy Scheme catchments last weekend, continuing what has been a very wet year and the wettest November/December since 1992.
With further storm activity forecast for the Christmas weekend and limited opportunities to pump water from Lake Jindabyne into the Murray River catchment, Snowy Hydro has reached agreement with NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE Water) to increase releases from the dam to bring the lake below full supply level. However, it is possible that the spillway may operate again if further extreme rainfall is experienced.
Upcoming releases from Jindabyne Dam into the Snowy River:
On Wednesday 22 December, the river will have a daily flow rate of 4,092 megalitres per day over a 24-hour period. According to DPIE (Water), this will result in a highest peak of 1.45m at Dalgety Weir.
On Thursday 23 December, the river will have a daily flow rate of 5,000 megalitres per day over a 24-hour period. According to DPIE (Water), this will result in a highest peak of 1.51m at Dalgety Weir.
On Friday 24 December, the river will have a daily flow rate of 4,866 megalitres per day over a 24-hour period. According to DPIE (Water), this will result in a highest peak of 1.50m at Dalgety Weir.
On Saturday 25 December, the river will have a daily flow rate of 2,387 megalitres per day over a 24-hour period. According to DPIE (Water), this will result in a highest peak of 1.50m at Dalgety Weir.
Snowy Hydro will continue to work closely with DPIE Water to identify opportunities to make controlled releases to manage the spill risks and minimise downstream impacts. Dam safety is paramount at this time and the spillway gates will automatically release water at any time the storage reaches or exceeds 100%.
Lake levels are anticipated to remain high for at least the next month, with continuing wet weather predicted in the seasonal outlook.
For the community, the most important message is to stay safe and well informed. The public can stay updated about flood alerts here:
For more information about releases into the Snowy River visit
https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/generation/live-data/lake-levels/ and https://dpie.nsw.gov.au/water/home
Snowy Hydro will continue to keep the community informed about management of water in Lake Jindabyne through its website and social media channels.