This
brochure describes the flood
warning system operated by the Australian Government, Bureau of
Meteorology for the Macintyre and Weir Rivers. It includes reference
information which will be useful for understanding Flood Warnings and
River Height Bulletins issued by the Bureau's Flood Warning Centre
during periods of high rainfall and flooding.
Flood RiskThe Macintyre and Weir Rivers drain an area of about 44,000 square kilometres, most of which lies in the southern border parts of Queensland, with a small part of the basin extending into New South Wales. The Macintyre River has three main tributaries - the Macintyre River in New South Wales, the Dumaresq River along the border, and the Macintyre Brook. Major flooding can occur along each of these river systems causing isolation of towns and rural lands, and severe flooding at times in the Goondiwindi area. Major flooding is also experienced along the Weir River
which joins the Macintyre about 200 kilometres downstream from
Goondiwindi, near Talwood. Previous FloodingRecords of large floods at Goondiwindi extend back as far as 1886, and since then more than 60 major floods have occurred. In 1956, Goondiwindi experienced three major floods within six months which prompted the building of levee banks to protect the town. The 1996 flood of 10.6 metres stood as the Goondiwindi record flood until January 2011 when the Macintyre River reached 10.64 metres. Flood ForecastingThe Goondiwindi Regional Council, in conjunction with the Bureau of Meteorology operate a flood warning system for the Border River catchments. The ALERT network consists of automatic rainfall and river height stations which regularly forward data via radio telemetry to base stations located at Inglewood and the Bureau's Flood Warning Centre in Brisbane. The system provides early warning of heavy rainfall and river rises in the catchment and enables more accurate and timely flood warning and forecasts. The balance of the network consists of volunteer rainfall and river height observers who forward observations by telephone when the initial flood height has been exceeded at their station. The Department of Natural Resources and Mines also operates a number of automatic telemetry stations throughout the catchment which also provides data during floods. The Bureau Flood Warning Centre in Brisbane issues Flood
Warnings and River Height Bulletins for the Macintyre and Weir Rivers
during flood events. River height predictions are given for a number of
flood affected towns, including Talwood, Inglewood, Texas and
Goondiwindi. The Bureau of Meteorology's Flood Warning Centre
located in Sydney, provides forecasts and warnings for the NSW towns of
Bogggabilla on the
Macintyre River and Mungindi on the Barwon
River. Local InformationThe Goondiwindi Regional Council is able to provide further information on flooding in the area of the Macintyre and Weir River catchment. Flood Warnings and BulletinsThe Bureau of Meteorology issues Flood Warnings and River Height Bulletins for the Macintyre and Weir River catchment regularly during floods. They are sent to radio stations for broadcast, and to local Councils, emergency services and a large number of other agencies involved in managing flood response activities. Flood Warnings and River Height Bulletins are available via : Radio Local response
organisations Internet/World Wide Web Telephone Weather
Interpreting Flood Warnings and River Height BulletinsFlood Warnings and River Height Bulletins contain observed river heights for a selection of the river height monitoring locations. The time at which the river reading has been taken is given together with its tendency (e.g. rising, falling, steady or at its peak). The Flood Warnings may also contain predictions in the form of minor, moderate or major flooding for a period in the future. River Height Bulletins also give the height above or below the road bridge or causeway for each river station located near a road crossing. One of the simplest ways of understanding what the actual or predicted river height means is to compare the height given in the Warning or Bulletin with the height of previous floods at that location. The table below summarises the flood history of the Macintyre and Weir River catchment - it contains the flood gauge heights of the more significant recent floods.
All heights are in metres on the
flood gauges. Historical flood heights for all river stations in the Macintyre and Weir River Floodwarning network, as shown on the map, are available from the Bureau of Meteorology upon request.
Flood ClassificationsAt each flood warning river height station, the severity of flooding is described as minor, moderate or major according to the effects caused in the local area or in nearby downstream areas. Terms used in Flood Warnings are based on the following definitions.
Each river height station has a pre-determined flood classification which details heights on gauges at which minor, moderate and major flooding commences. Other flood heights may also be defined which indicate at what height the local road crossing or town becomes affected by floodwaters. The table below shows the flood classifications for selected river height stations in the Macintyre and Weir River catchment.
(B) = Bridge (R) = Road The above details are correct at the time of preparing this document. Up-to-date flood classifications and other details for all flood warning stations in the network are at: Flood
gauge information
For the latest rainfall and river height conditions please use the following link: For the latest rainfall and river height network map please use the following link: Network mapsFor further information, contact:
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