SunWater has advised that stream gauge data confirmed approximately 100,000 megalitres of water from upstream inflows at Jones Weir would make its way to Paradise Dam over the next 24 to 48 hours.

SunWater area operations manager Nev Wogandt said it was difficult to accurately forecast the actual peak time of the spill or the height it would reach over the spillway given that rainfall was continuing to fall within the catchment further upstream.

“Based on the current stream gauge data we can confirm that the inflows will exceed our capacity to release water through our irrigation and environmental gates and any excess water will go over the dam’s purpose built spillway,” Mr Wogandt said.

“Our stream flow gauges confirm in excess of 100,000 megalitres of water is currently within the system, but we also need to take into account other ungauged tributaries within the system, which will further increase the amount of inflow into the dam catchment.

“As planned, we will continue with the release of water through our gates, but once this new inflow arrives a majority will flow over the spillway.

“This is how the dam and its spillway have been designed to operate under these types of major inflow conditions.

“We will continue to monitor inflows into the catchment and during that time operate the dam in accordance with our established dam operating procedures.”