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Minister admits dam capacities are nerve-racking

The state's Primary Industries Minister admits she is nervous about the high level of the Murrumbidgee's two main storage dams.

Burrinjuck Dam is 99 per cent full, Blowering is 98 per cent, and in the lead-up to rain last week, State Water made releases ahead of expected inflows.

The Minister, Katrina Hodgkinson says there is still the snow melt to come.

"Look it's always a little bit nerve-racking when the dams are so full, that they are really peaking," he said.

"I've been requesting daily updates from State Water in relation to the dams capacity and where they're at and ensuring that State Water is keeping downstream landholders totally up to date.

"Obviously my electorate of Burrinjuck is very much affected when the dams spill, (it's) something I keep a very close eye on."

The Member for Burrinjuck has given an assurance that management of the Riverina's two main storage dams can be relied upon.

"In optimum circumstances Burrinjuck could create around 1.5 - 2 per cent per day of flood mitigation airspace in storage," she said.

"So in three to four days, it could be drawn down considerably before a significant rain event, or this time of year we'll start to see snow melt in a couple of weeks.

"It's very important to remember we do need the water for irrigation."

The Primary Industries Minister says State Water has made massive improvements in its communications with downstream landholders since the December 2010 floods.

She admits communication was poor during the flooding event two years ago.

"State Water has massively improved its communications," she said.

"It's something we have focused on a lot and we've had many conversations and lectures about over the past year and a half.

"State Water is really doing a terrific job I believe.

"They take this extremely seriously.

"The December 2010 event was probably as much of a shock to them, as it was to the rest of us."


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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