Residents in low-lying areas of Lake Conjola are being urged to implement their flood management plans and to prepare to evacuate as the waterway continues to rise.
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Shoalhaven City Council is advising local residents that the lake level is continuing to rise rapidly despite the entrance naturally opening to the ocean overnight.
The lake level is at 1.46m AHD as of 9.35am Tuesday morning and will continue to rise throughout the day.
Natural Resources and Floodplain manager Isobelle Ghetti told the Times the lake water levels were the highest she has seen in the seven years she had been with council.
She said homes would be flooded and road closed, with more rain expected.
Director of Planning and Development Tim Fletcher said the catchment had received more than 200mm of rain in the 24 hours to 10am Tuesday.
Mr Fletcher said that amount of rain would trigger flooding regardless of the entrance being open or closed.
“Lake Conjola opened naturally to the ocean this morning prior to the trigger level of the 1.2mAHD needed for a mechanical opening being reached," he said..
“The entrance berm level was very low due to the entrance having closed only recently which made for an easier natural opening.”
“Local residents that have concerns about the flooding of their property and their safety need to contact the SES on 132 500 and implement their flood action plan immediately.”
“Burrill Lake and Tabourie Lake are now also rising at a rapid rate and residents need to be alert.
“While they are both open and have so far received much less rain than Lake Conjola it is important that local residents continue to monitor the situation.”
Mr Fletcher said many local roads are currently inundated with water as he reminded local residents not to drive through flood waters.