WITH news of flooded towns and isolated homes just upstream, it is not hard to be concerned about what will happen in Swan Hill.
But State Emergency Service deputy chief officer Alistair Drayton believes locals, while remaining vigilant, don’t need to panic.
“The current level of the river at Swan Hill is 4.23 metres, which is below a minor level,” Mr Drayton told The Guardian.
“We go into minor (flood level) at 4.5m, we go to moderate at 4.6m, and we go to major at 4.7m. Now that is the peak, that is what is being anticipated.
“In saying that, we are only going to be going up about another 400mm from what it is right now – there is not this great big tidal wave coming down the river.”
Based on current information, it is anticipated the Murray River at Swan Hill will peak on Saturday, October 29. But Swan Hill CFA commander Dean Simmons believes it won’t resemble what has been seen in upstream towns such as Echuca.
“The concern for Swan Hill is when the Murray River is peaking and the Avoca and the Loddon are peaking all at the same time, that’s when Swan Hill is at risk,” Mr Simmons said.
“There is no evidence at this stage, or we are not seeing anything that provides that information that says all three rivers will be peaking at the same time.
“So what happens when the Avoca and Loddon are peaking, we’ve got capacity for the Murray River to take more water and we have the floodway at Pental Island that can take some of that excess water and that diverts water into the Murray and then it relieves the pressure on both of those systems.
“I just want to stress the point that what people are seeing in Echuca doesn’t automatically flow down to Swan Hill. There is a huge amount of water that can be diverted through the creek systems, Wakool system, and that bypasses Swan Hill completely.”
Mr Simmons said there were concerns around the Tyntynder flats, which have historically been an area for caution. But they are working closely with local landholders and Swan Hill Rural City Council to identify weak points in the bank and improve those areas.
“There is plenty of time to do some works between now and when these excessive flows start coming downstream,” he said.
Mr Drayton said it was important for people to fully understand their local areas.
“The analogy I give you there is if you live by a creek or by a river it can flood, so what do you need to do about that – not dissimilar to if you live in the bush it can burn, so you need to have a fire plan,” he said.
“I’m asking everyone to become flood ready and understanding that – so there is a risk that you might become isolated because some roads will be closed.
“There is no doubt about that with some low-lying water in some areas, to ensure people do have a number of days’ supply of foods and medications.
“Think about your neighbours, too, particularly if you have got someone who is more vulnerable or elderly.”
The SES will open three sandbag fill points on Friday at the Lake Boga and Beverford fire stations and the Swan Hill SES depot for public use.
These will operate over the weekend and filled and unfilled bags will be available.
More information about how to prepare for a flood is available at www.ses.vic.gov.au, while local flood guides can be found at www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/floods