Flooding update – Thursday 12.50pm

The latest news on the Hawkesbury flood situation at noon today (Thursday) is that SES have released a statement saying it expects Windsor and North Richmond bridges to be closed from early tomorrow, Friday, March 2.The SES also said schoolchildren who need to cross the river in either direction to get to school would be best kept home on Friday.

A Warragamba Dam spokeswoman said at 12.15pm today that the dam’s flood gates are still expected to automatically open between 8-10pm tonight (Thursday).

But as of noon, the Bureau of Meteorology had still not upgraded its ‘flood watch’ status to the more definitive ‘flood warning’, but has forecast more heavy rain in the dam’s catchment of up to 90mm in the next 24 hours. This is expected to continue until Saturday.

Those with expert knowledge of the Yarramundi area say that the water level in the Hawkesbury would start hitting the Yarramundi Bridge between 2am and 4am on Friday morning and that the bridge would be submerged by 4am if Warragamba Dam water is released as expected tonight.

This would make the flood peak at about 8am Friday, submerging the Windsor and Richmond bridges from then on.

The SES said moderate flooding in North Richmond and Windsor areas including Pitt Town Bottoms and Gronos Point, is likely from late Thursday evening to early Friday morning.

NSW SES assistant commissioner Keith Fitzgerald said “parents whose children attend schools in the Hawkesbury-Nepean area are encouraged to keep their children home tomorrow, or if you do send them to school, closely monitor the weather situation and road closures. Do not take unnecessary risks to collect your children from school.”

The SES warned parents to ensure their children knew to stay well away from flooded rivers, creeks and drains and not to play in floodwater.

Flood-affected areas will be Richmond Lowlands, including Cornwallis, low-lying areas at the northern part of Richmond, low-lying areas at the western part of Hobartville, and low-lying areas in the northern part of Agnes Banks.

Article: Courtesy of the Hawkesbury Gazette

Stay safe and dry.

Rachael 🙂