Major flooding alert issued for Darling Downs

Multiple backup QFES crews have been deployed to towns across the Darling Downs following fears the region’s dams, creeks and rivers could break their banks. READ THE LATEST FORECAST

It appears Inglewood was spared the flooding rain the Bureau of Meteorology forecast.

The Darling Downs town was bracing for floods yesterday after Coolmunda Dam reached 100.83 per cent capacity ahead of rain fall predicted to be upwards of 100mm.

The rain was fuelled by a large weather system over Central Australia that is drifting eastwards, drenching the countryside as it moves.

Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg said those largest falls forecast for Inglewood did not eventuate and instead fell to the east.

“What we are doing is asking people to continue to be on alert until this weather event passes,” he said.

“If we had significant rainfall it would have created a significant rise in the Macintyre Brook and would have posed a threat to low-lying areas of Inglewood.”

Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services directed extra resources to Inglewood, including swift water rescue units, in preparation.

By yesterday afternoon the threat had moved southeast to Texas and the Dumaresq River.

“The Glenlyon Dam has soaked up a lot of that rain but the Dumaresq River remains a moderate flood risk,” Mr Springborg said.

“Those landholders are pretty well prepared, but we don’t have much room to move.”

QFES on alert

A dam is already at 100 per cent capacity and spilling over as wild weather begins to lash Darling Downs communities with heavy rain and localised flooding.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Southwest Region Zone Commander Warren Buckley called in extra swift water rescue crews and deployed them to Warwick, Goondiwindi and Inglewood ahead of the expected floods.

Coolmunda Dam was already at 100.8 per cent capacity and spilling over at midday.

“Any rain in that area is going to run into the dam and parts of Inglewood township could be inundated,” he said.

“We have crews heading there now and they will be staged there for a few days to monitor the situation west of there.”

QFES Southwest Region Zone Commander Warren Buckley

The reinforcements includes two back-up swift water rescue teams and a Helitack unit that will be deployed if residents become stuck on flood water in hard-to-reach areas.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast 100-150mm of rain in parts of the Darling Downs over the next two days and that excess water will take about a week to move through the already saturated river systems.

The Condamine River through Warwick and Killarney is a key concern, along with the Myall Creek through Dalby.

Mr Buckley said Myall Creek catchment has already received 100mm of rain with more on its way.

“With another 100mm on top of that we could be looking at some more inundation in parts of the Dalby town areas,” he said.

The countryside is soaked through so any heavy falls will result in localised flash flooding.

Should that occur Mr Buckley has called on residents to be cautious and patient.

“We probably would not need to put all this effort in if people didn’t want to drive through flood waters,” he said.

“It does not matter if you are in a car or truck, if it is flooded, forget it.

“You can’t guarantee there is going to be a road under that flood water and that is where a lot of people get caught.

“The road has washed away or there is debris on the road.”

Get ready now

Bureau of Meteorology Hazard preparedness and response east manager Jane Golding urged residents in Queensland to be prepared for severe weather as heavy rainfall could cause dangerous conditions and flooding.

“Many areas are expecting significant rainfall, with some places in Queensland and New South Wales likely to see daily rainfall totals of 150 millimetres or more,” she said.

“In southern Queensland, we’re concerned about communities close to the New South Wales border such as Goondiwindi.”

The severe weather is due to a complex low pressure system developing over Central Australia that is tipped to move eastwards.

BOM has already issued a “major” flood watch alert for several catchments situated within the Darling Downs and southwest Queensland.

They include the Condamine Rivers, Macintyre River, Weir River, Moonie River and Balonne River.

The heaviest rainfall is predicted on Thursday and into Friday.

Rain and storms are predicted for Toowoomba on Thursday and Friday, before clearing up in time for the weekend.

Originally published as Major flooding alert issued for Darling Downs