Flood Advisory

Friday 18 January 12.30pm
Rain forecast for Otago headwaters – lakes expected to remain high

The MetService has issued a “weather watch” forecasting 30 to 40mm of rain for the Otago headwaters tomorrow morning.

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) expects this will slow the fall in the levels of lakes Hawea, Wanaka and Wakatipu, but at this stage is not expecting levels to reach those observed last week.

Flows in the Clutha River/Mata-Au will remain high.

Contact Energy has advised that it will vary the discharge from the Roxburgh dam as follows:

• Today from 6 to 8pm the discharge will progressively be reduced from 1100 to 700 cumecs
• The 700 cumecs discharge will remain steady until Lake Roxburgh is full which is expected to be around noon tomorrow.
• Tomorrow from noon to 3pm the discharge will be progressively increased from 700 to around 1000 cumecs to match the expected inflows at the time.

Persons near the Clutha River/Mata-Au, downstream of the Roxburgh dam, should be aware of the reduced flow on Friday night, and the increasing flow on Saturday afternoon.

River level and rainfall information can be checked on the ORC water info webpage
www.orc.govt.nz/waterinfo or by phoning 0800 426 463

Information on natural hazards, including inundation maps can be viewed on the ORC natural hazards database www.orc.govt.nz/Natural-Hazards

ENDS

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