Minor flooding is occurring on the Kiewa River at Bandiana in north east Victoria and is forecast to develop downstream at Kiewa, with the Bureau of Meteorology holding a flood watch across nine catchments in the state's north on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bureau issued flood watch number three at 1.44pm AEST on Tuesday. It covers the Upper Murray and Mitta Mitta rivers, the Kiewa, the Ovens and King, the Broken, Seven and Castle creeks, the Goulburn from Eildon to Seymour and downstream of Seymour, the Loddon and the Avoca.
In its Kiewa River warning issued at 12.29pm AEST, the Bureau put the river at Bandiana at 2.90 metres and steady, above the 2.80 metre minor flood level, and said it was likely to stay there until Wednesday afternoon. The Kiewa River channel at Kiewa was at 3.13 metres and rising, and was forecast to pass its 3.30 metre minor flood level during Tuesday afternoon. At Mongans Bridge the river was at 1.88 metres and rising. Yackandandah Creek at Osbornes Flat was at 1.60 metres and falling.
The rain that is driving it arrived overnight. The Bureau issued a severe weather warning for Victoria at 4.54pm AEST on Monday for heavy rainfall developing about the north east ranges on Tuesday morning, with six hour totals of 50 to 60 millimetres possible and a risk of flash flooding.
A separate Bureau warning issued on Monday covered the New South Wales side of the same system, with heavy rain forecast for the Snowy Mountains and South West Slopes from early Tuesday and six hour totals in the same 50 to 60 millimetre range. Thredbo, Khancoban, Perisher Valley, Charlotte Pass, Cabramurra and Selwyn were listed among the locations that could be affected.
Catchments across the state's north were already moderately wet before this rain, after the run of wet weather that has kept warnings on the Loddon and the Avoca running for the past week. The Bureau has said rivers in the flood watch area will respond quickly to further falls.
Flood warnings are current on the Kiewa, the King, the Goulburn downstream of Seymour, the Loddon and the Avoca, along with minor flood warnings for the Murray River and for the Murray upstream of Lake Hume, and an initial minor flood warning for Seven Creeks. The Bureau cancelled its sheep graziers warning for the North East forecast district on Tuesday.
The State Emergency Service advice is not to drive, walk, swim or play in floodwater, to stay clear of flooded drains, rivers and waterways, and to obey road closure signs. The SES number for flood and storm assistance is 132 500, and 000 for life threatening emergencies.
The Bureau has set its next flood watch update for 2pm AEST on Wednesday. River warnings are being reissued through the afternoon as gauges report.
