Water authority drops back rate of releases from Hume Dam but Sunday of rain ensures Murray River still high

Murray-Darling Basin Authority executive director river management Andrew Reynolds said Hume Dam flows dropped from 90,000 to 80,000 megalitres across Sunday after having been at 95,000 on Saturday.

However, water pouring in from the Kiewa River and heavy rainfall ensured the Murray River has stayed heavily swollen in Albury.

Its height in the city was 5.49 metres at 9.30am Sunday after a 41-millimetre downpour between 4am and 7am.

That led to flash flooding, which saw Wodonga Place filled with water.

The BBB eatery opted to close for the day after staff were unable to access the premises, however Ampol and BP fuel stations continued trading despite the inundation.

Abercorn, Townsend and Kiewa streets on the southern fringe of Albury beyond the levee were closed to traffic with SES members doorknocking homes in the largely industrial precinct.

By 5.30pm, the river was at 5.46 metres and was expected to remain at or just below that moderate flood level through to Monday.

The day's second major storm band hit Albury-Wodonga from 6 o'clock last night with 25 millimetres recorded to 8pm after 15 fell from 6.25pm to 7.22pm.

In anticipation of it, at least 70 householders visited Albury's SES unit throughout Sunday to collect sandbags to protect their properties.

Albury SES commander Curtis Kishere said that 60 volunteers assisted in filling sandbags.

Across the day, 2400 sandbags, made up of 60 pallets of 40, were stocked.

Also assisting were Volunteer Rescue Association members and NSW Rural Fire Service personnel who belonged to the Lavington, Splitters Creek and Thurgoona brigades.

As well as South Albury, Doctors Point is on the frontline with its only access road closed to all vehicles.

Local resident and Albury councillor Stuart Baker said water levels had eased last week to allow cars to travel through but greater dam releases again cut Doctors Point Road from Friday.

Sunday's storms mean Albury has now exceeded last November's rainfall tally of 123.4mm with still more than half the month to elapse. The mean November rainfall for Albury is 62 millimetres and the total for the month in 2020 was 38 millimetres.

The city is on track for a record-breaking spring with its running tally around the 500 millimetre mark after 198 was measured in October and 144.2 in September.

That figure will be added to on Monday with showers expected through the day, amounting to eight to 10 millimetres.

Mr Reynolds was unwilling to nominate future figures for outflows from the dam.

"The releases from Hume Dam in coming days will depend on the amount of rain that falls in the catchment and the subsequent inflows to the dam from the Mitta Mitta River and the Upper Murray," he said.

"Airspace created in the dam over the past week is helping to mitigate the impact of the latest rain event."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: