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Severe weather update: Flooding at Tuggerah Lakes and Hawkesbury still occurring

Published On

06/07/2022

Council is urging the community to remain vigilant as major flooding remains within the Tuggerah Lakes and Hawkesbury River regions, despite rainfall easing Thursday morning after heavy downpours overnight. Damaging winds and dangerous ocean conditions also persist. 

Council continues to work closely alongside NSW SES, who is the lead response agency, and all other emergency agencies to provide vital and ongoing support to impacted communities. 

The community can stay up to date via Council’s dedicated weather event page which is regularly updated, and updates on Council’s Facebook page. For the latest weather warnings and conditions go to the Bureau of Meteorology website. 

Council staff are closely monitoring local roads, waterways, beaches, water and sewer systems, and other essential services.

For emergency help in floods and storms, call NSW SES on 132 500. If life-threatening, call 000 (Triple Zero)

Waterways

Hawkesbury River

  • Rural Fire Service and Surf Life Saving are out on the ground and water today supporting SES checking on residents in low-lying areas for those needing assistance and support. Any residents requiring assistance from crews to call SES on 132 500.
  • The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has confirmed The Hawkesbury River at Wisemans Ferry peaked at 5.75 metres around 8:00 am Wednesday 6 July 2022 and is currently at 4.76 metres and falling, with major flooding. The Hawkesbury River at Wisemans Ferry may fall below the major flood level (4.20 m) Thursday afternoon. 
  • Flood levels will continue to rise at Gunderman and Spencer at levels higher than the recent March 2022 flood. This flood appears to be the largest in the lower Hawkesbury River in the last 100 years. 
  • The NSW SES flood evacuation order (advice to leave immediately - 4 July) remains in place for residents and visitors in the following locations: Wisemans Ferry, Gunderman, Spencer, Lower Mangrove, Glenworth Valley, Wendoree Park, Marlow, Bar Point. 
  • NSW SES is assisting with evacuation of residents via boats – there is currently no road access.
  • Community members should contact NSW SES on 132 500 if they require assistance, as they have boats to pick them up residents and take them back to central point and transport will pick them up. Wisemans Ferry service remains closed.

Tuggerah Lakes and Wyong River

  • Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Surf Life Saving (SLS) are out on the ground and water today supporting NSW SES checking on residents in low-lying areas for those needing assistance and support. Any residents requiring assistance from crews to call SES on 132 500.
  • The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has confirmed major flooding is occurring at Tuggerah Lakes, where water levels are above the major flood level of 1.60 metres currently at 1.69 metres (9:15 AM 7 July 2022). 
  • BoM has indicated along the Wyong River at Wyong Bridge, the river level is below the minor flood level, but small renewed river level rises are occurring during Wednesday 6 July 2022 evening.
  • NSW SES modelling predicts an estimate of 1000 homes affected.
  • Tuggerah Lakes evacuation order issued 5 July remains in place. 
  • For evacuated community members who require temporary shelter, the evacuation centre at Diggers at The Entrance remains open.
  • The evacuation centre has recorded 167 people registered and 142 accommodated.
  • Prepare your property and be ready to Sand and empty sandbags are available from NSW SES Wyong Unit (Levitt St Wyong), NSW SES Gosford Unit (Pateman Rd Erina) and EDSACC Oval North (The Entrance Road, Bateau Bay) - please bring a shovel.  Some sandbags are pre-filled, however quantity is variable so advice if to bring a shovel to fill our own if required.

The Entrance Channel

  • The Entrance Channel is currently open with an estimated width of over 105 metres. 
  • Following flood forecasts above 1.3 metres Tuesday 5 July 2022, Council staff deployed heavy machinery to the site to undertake berm management in accordance with procedure. 
  • Machinery has remained on site through Thursday 7 July 2022 and staff continued to undertake berm management in advance of the expected flood peak.

The Entrance Channel - Council Crews undertaking works - Wednesday 6 July 2022
Image: Council crew conducting works at The Entrance Channel on Wednesday 6 July 2022

Roads

  • Central Coast Highway is closed in sections at Noraville (Budgewoi Road near Weripi St) and southbound at Long Jetty. Detours are in place for southbound traffic at Long Jetty, however we urge the community to avoid this area.
  • We ask people to avoid impacted roads as significant flash flooding is occurring. Please follow all signage and NEVER enter or drive through flood waters or through closed roads. Driving through even shallow flood waters can cause water to inundate flooded properties creating further damage for residents in flood affected areas.
  • Please watch out for new potholes and trees down. Crews are undertaking temporary repair works and attending to the roads in priority order for safety (high traffic, high speed roads). 
  • Take extra caution and please continue to report to Council and road issues via Council’s online Customer Service Centre.

Local Dam Levels

  • Upper Mooney Dam is 100% full. The volume of overflow from Upper and Lower Mooney Dams is reducing and currently at approximately 300mm above the spillway and the alert level remains at White.
  • Mangrove Creek Dam is 100% full. The volume of the overflow remains stable and relatively low at approximately 600mm above the spillway. The Dubbo Gully area of Mangrove Creek is closed to the public due to flooding and access track damage.
  • Mardi Dam is 85% full.
  • Council continues to monitor our dams closely, and is providing advice to surrounding communities as required – Council will release further information on dams and water storage over the coming 24 hours.

Beaches, coastal erosion and flood debris

  • Moderate erosion has been reported at North Entrance, Lakes Beach, Killcare and McMasters Beach. No significant erosion has been recorded at Wamberal as at 9:30AM Thursday 7 July 2022.
  • Large volumes of seafoam are washing up on beaches, and dangerous oceans conditions are current.
  • Please do not walk on or near eroded beach escarpments. This is both dangerous and could cause serious injury for anyone in the vicinity, and may provide further risk to properties in the immediate area.
  • Flood debris including vegetation being deposited on southern beaches including Patonga. Given the river flooding expect flood debris on beaches for coming weeks. Plans being developed for Council staff and Clean4Shore to assist in the clean-up.

Sewer

  • Sewer surcharges have occurred across the Council region due to high volumes of water entering sewers during and following heavy rainfall.  Pollution warning signs have been placed near Copacabana Surf Life Saving Club and Ourimbah Creek.
  • People should avoid swimming and any other recreational contact with the waterways in the Central Coast region during and for a few days after significant rainfall.
  • An extensive water quality monitoring program has been implemented to determine when waters are suitable for recreational activity following the storms.

Disaster relief and support 

  • Central Coast is under a Natural Disaster Declaration. Affected communities and individuals may be able to access a range of special assistance measures from the NSW Government. For Disaster Relief and Support information, go to the NSW Government’s website 

Waste

  • Council’s waste collection services continue as normal including bulk kerbside collections, public litter bins and household bins. Woy Woy and Buttonderry Waste Management Facilities remain operational and are open as per normal opening hours.
  • The servicing of parts of Wyong, Tacoma, South Tacoma, Jilliby, Dooralong, Mardi, Blue Haven and Lemon Tree were affected on Wednesday 6 July 2022. These properties mentioned and those located on sections of road currently closed to vehicles, kerbside services will resume as soon as the roads re-open. Residents should keep their bins on the kerbside (if safe to do so) until they are collected.

Stay safe, informed and vigilant

ENDS

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