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HORSHAM’s Incident Control Centre has confirmed flooding in the Wimmera River is moving downstream having peaked at a number of areas.
The centre’s Melissa Douglas said flash flooding might still occur as a band of rain moves across the Wimmera.
She said rain and thunderstorms were forecast for Tuesday evening and overnight into Wednesday.
The centre predicted rainfall totals of around 20 to 40 mm for the Wimmera River catchment and potentially higher localised totals due to thunderstorms.
Ms Douglas said residents should be aware the rainfall might overwhelm storm-water systems in some towns and cause significant renewed river rises, with minor flooding likely to redevelop in the upper Wimmera River catchment from Wednesday evening.
Ms Douglas said the river flows would take some time to move through the system.
She said the Wimmera River at Glenorchy reached major flood level on Thursday, and passed the moderate flood level on Monday in Horsham.
Quantong reached major levels on Monday evening.
Ms Douglas said downstream of Quantong the river flood level will to reduce to under the minor flood level.
She said the Yarriambiack Creek gauge at Jung on the Wimmera Highway didn’t reach the minor flood level on Monday night as the peak passed.
Warracknabeal should experience the creek peak on Wednesday or Thursday.
Ms Douglas said when the Wimmera River experienced major flooding there was no ability to manage flows into either the Dunmunkle or Yarriambiack Creeks. GWMWater filled some of the available recreational lakes and water storages in the region.
Ms Douglas said once the floodwaters passed through the system some water might be put back into the river system to create a ‘freeboard’ to allow for any future extreme rainfall events.
No homes have been affected by flooding, although some sheds, gardens and properties have experienced some inundation.
Farmers have experienced some crop loss and a lot of road surface damage has become evident as the water recedes.
Councils will start assessing roads and bridges.