Farmers downstream of Lake Hume have blasted Canberra bureaucrats for what they say is mismanagement of the Murray’s flow as rising floodwaters threaten their livelihoods.
Third generation farmer John Rau, whose family has plied the land on Bonegilla Island since the 1870s, said engineers at the weir were not at fault and the blame lay with the Murray Darling Basin Authority.
“I can’t speak any more highly of the blokes out at the weir – it’s the people in Canberra,” he said.
His neighbour Peter Steer echoed the sentiment, and stressed the MDBA needed to place a greater emphasis on preparing for water releases from the dam, which was at 97.6 capacity on Monday.
Both farmers said they understood the river had cyclical floods but said it could be managed better.
Mr Steer cited water releases from the dam going from 25,000 megalitres per day to 40,000 ML/day in under a week.
Over the weekend outflows reached 70,000 ML/day, with 11 gates open on the wall.
“All (the MDBA) is interested in is the dam, and our livelihoods are at stake,” Mr Steer said.
“They’ve let the weir get too full and they’ve panicked.
“We live in the river, we know it floods … what we can’t handle is the mismanagement of water.”
Mr Rau’s 92-year-old father Phil had chosen to remain on the cut-off property but his son expressed concern about getting medication across.
Byron Gray, who runs a mixed farm in South Albury along the Murray River, had stressed to the The Border Mail at the start of August the MDBA needed to act then before any water had been released.
His vegetable and hay crops were now underwater and he said they would not survive if temperatures rose.
“(The MDBA) have a job to do, but I just don’t like the way they go about it,” he said.
“I know the Hume Dam is there for irrigation, that’s a fact.
“They filled it at the earliest possible time they could, whereas this year you would’ve thought the predictions are there for a wet spring so they could’ve filled it in December.”
Revelers were about to head home from a farewell do for HotHouse stalwart Rob Scott at Gateway Village theatre on Sunday night until the SES turned up with 3000 sandbags to stem rising floodwaters.
Patrons got to work about 11pm and helped sandbag the perimetre of the cultural precinct by 2am Monday morning.
La Maison Cafe manger Samantha Robinson said the restaurant had an upstairs area should the need to move goods occur.
Albury-based helicopter company Helifly took to the skies to survey the surging Murray, revealing widespread flooding endangering livestock and the River Deck Cafe in Noreuil Park.
In Wodonga, Sumsion Gardens, Belvoir Park and the playground were closed until further notice.
The Murray continued to rise with increased releases from Lake Hume combined with inflow from the Kiewa River and local rainfall.
In Albury, it was predicted to reach between 5.30 and 5.35 metres on Monday night with moderate flooding.
Downstream at Corowa the river was expected to reach around 7.7 metres on Wednesday, and in Yarrawonga it was tipped to rise to 7.3 metres around Wednesday.
SES crews door knocked residents of Doctor’s Point, Waterview Road, lower Atkins Street and Kensal Green Drive in Albury to advise them of the flooding.
Rainfall totals of 20 to 30mm have been forecast for Tuesday and a moderate flood warning for the Border remains in place.
Alpine Way was closed between Khancoban and Tom Groggin until further notice after a large section of the road gave way.
For emergency help during flooding, call the SES on 132 500.
*This story first appeared via The Border Mail
