An article by Wade Stephens in our local paper Sunraysia Daily today, drawing attention to the flood situation affecting residents along the Great Anabranch of the Darling River:
"MORE than 10 farming families in the Anabranch community are bracing for rising floodwaters, as the Great Darling Anabranch swallows up access bridges, and parts of the road that leads out of town.
Tara Downs Crossing on Milpara Road is already underwater, forcing community members to travel the long way to Wentworth via Renmark Road.
Four spots on Anabranch Mail Road at Allanvale went underwater on Thursday, and more sections will be inundated in coming days.
Anabranch Water chairman Paul McPherson said community members have either pre-emptively moved their cars to the east of the Anabranch, or will be forced to take temporary flood roads in coming weeks, adding half an hour to their trip.
"There's no other option just because of the low floodplain areas around this part of the anabranch," Mr McPherson said.
"It'll take out the Mail Road, and it'll probably take out another four spots close to here in the next couple of days."
Floodwaters at the Anabranch are expected to rise by about 500-600mm in the coming two weeks, to water levels not seen since 1976.
Brendon Duncan owns Glen Esk Station in Anabranch South, which has been split in two by the floodwater.
The crossing connecting the homestead on the western side of the property to 20 thousand acres of farmland over the eastern side has been cut off.
He's been boating back and forth to continue looking after his sheep.
"We've still got to manage it, it's just a matter of getting over to do it," Mr Duncan said.
"It's just an inconvenience, that's life, you can't do much about it."
Both men expect that the floodwaters may linger for a while.
"You've got the likes of Popiltah, Travellers, Popio and Mundona, the four big lakes on the anabranch ... they're all full of water between 16 to 20 feet, most of that water's going to have to drain back down through this part of the system," Mr McPherson said.
"It will prolong the draindown period, it won't be up today and gone tomorrow, it'll be around for a while I think."
"I've just topped all our fuel supplies, got all the vehicles in good running order so they're still serviceable and do the job," Mr Duncan said.
"A lot of organising and trying to get everything sorted out before it got here, we had plenty of warning, it's just a matter of waiting for it now."