Authority looks at levees

Tony Webber from Water NSW says the authority’s compliance team is investigating a number of complaints about the levee banks protecting property in the Lachlan River area.

“Some of those complaints were pre-flooding and some have been since the floods,” he said.

"We have been doing aerial reviews with the SES, at the request of the SES, to provide advice on whether levees are authorised or not and whether they may be contributing to flood behaviour.”

Mr Webber said the authority had put a stop-work order on one levee bank that was being constructed in the Lake Cowal area.

But he added that checks had revealed another subject of complaint had been authorised and constructed in 1995. 

"It is not unusual to receive reports or complaints from landholders about a neighbouring levee being unauthorised and it then turns out to be authorised,” he said.

Mr Webber said he was not aware of any levees being destroyed during this flood event.

Lake Cowal farmer Brad Shephard has been flying regularly over the area – his property has been inaccessible by road for weeks.

Photographing and videoing the extent of the flooding from the air, he has seen the loss of crops, the isolation of homes and also where levee banks have been whipped up quickly as the water spread. 

Mr Shephard says the water is not receding as he would expect – he was also affected by 2012 flooding - and he’s concerned he will lose the chance to crop next year as well as a result of the inundation.

Water remains over the road at Marsden, keeping the Newell Highway closed between Forbes and West Wyalong. 

Mr Webber could not comment on whether levee banks were exacerbating the problem.

“We are not in a position to say whether levees have affected these floods – all floods are different,” Mr Webber said.