It's been raining - and sometimes pouring - regularly this year, allowing dams across the Tamworth region to start recovering from the big dry.
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The wettest year in a decade and some big storms scattered throughout 2020 has seen the dams surge past promising milestones.
Under Tamworth Regional Council's drought management plan, 40 per cent full is the trigger for water users in Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal to dive straight back to Level 1 water rules.
The dam is inching closer to that magic mark, and was sitting at 39.9 per cent capacity on Christmas Eve.
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Council announced changes would come into play from January 4 next year, but are set to make an official confirmation early next week whether that will be to Level 2 or Level 1.
Dungowan Dam - Tamworth's back up water supply - reached 100 per cent full for the second time this year right before Christmas, and spilled over.
Council has been taking water from the dam, and from the Peel River at times, to make sure the plug stays in Chaffey for as long as possible.
The Namoi River gurgled back to life with rain in 2020, allowing Keepit Dam to flourish once again.
The lake went from a dry, cracked, brown puddle of water that was less than one per cent full to a comfortable 30 per cent by Christmas.
Water from Split Rock Dam keeps the taps flowing in the townships of Manilla and Barraba.
The huge dam had reached 6.5 per cent full by Christmas Eve, after starting the year at 0.8 per cent.
Manilla residents are set to finish the first month of summer on Level 1 water restrictions, while Barraba, Attunga, Bemdemeer and Nundle will get to continue enjoying the base Level P, which is permanent water conservation measures.
Chaffey Dam is Tamworth's main water supply and started the year at a lowly 13 per cent full, with the city's residents on severe Level 5 water restrictions.
After the devastating dry spell for the dam, the catchment was drenched in 2020 and the supply is now holding in excess of 26,000ML more water than it was on January 1 - the equivalent of close to 10,500 Olympic swimming pools.
Keen eyes would have noticed the dam had risen in height by seven metres.
Environmental flows of 3ML per day continue to wash down the Peel River.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
