First drought woes, now flood warnings

THE scars of drought in Victoria have been swamped by flood warnings in the past week.

THE deep scars of Victoria’s drought have been swamped by flood warnings in the past week.

More winter rain is forecast this week with last week’s totals topping 50mm in Gippsland and the northeast of the state.

Farm dams and rainwater tanks were filled across western and central Victoria after widespread rain.

But chances of a full reversal from El Niño to a wetter La Nina appear to be slipping away.

Only two of the eight weather forecasting models monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology are still predicting the likelihood of a La Nina this spring. The bureau rates a La Nina a 50-50 chance.

Veteran Wimmera farmer Rob Loats said it was still possible for Victoria to experience a flood this spring.

With the Wimmera River running naturally for the first time in four years and “a trickle” now running down the Avon-Richardson River adjacent to his farm, Mr Loats said it was “strange” for the drought to have reversed so quickly. “Last year was the worst I have ever had on our (Donald) farm, the worst ever,” he said.

Steady flow: More than 30 megalitres a day pass through Horsham’s weir. Picture: Andy Rogers

“So to have some water running down the river, and it’s not even spring, is very surprising”

Water began to be released from Glenmaggie Dam on Friday but most of the state’s storages are slower to fill.

Dartmouth and Hume reservoirs are both half full and Lake Eildon is at 43 per cent.

The Grampians storages are about 28 per cent, almost the same level as last year.

Wimmera Catchment Management Authority chief executive David Brennan said the Wimmera River would reach Dimboola by the end of this week and Jeparit next month. More than 30 megalitres a day are passing through Horsham’s weir.

“We normally don’t get much in the way of flows this time of year,” Mr Brennan said.