Tamworth region water supplies: Chaffey, Keepit and other local dams rise to levels not seen in years as rain moves on

Water levels across the board have rocketed to heights not seen in years, when the region was in the grip of the big dry.

Chaffey Dam is Tamworth's main water supply, and has surged to 57.1 per cent capacity after rain in the catchment just kept coming, delivering the city's wettest March in decades.

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The water level at the supply rose rapidly when the rain came, adding about 15 per cent capacity to the dam in a matter of weeks, but has now slowed down again.

It's the first time Chaffey Dam has been at that level in almost three years, and it had dipped to just 12 per cent in January last year.

Water flowed with force in the Peel River both into the dam and below the dam, but it wasn't the only raging river in the region.

The swollen Namoi River brought a boost to Lake Keepit, and the dam has now hit 62.9 per cent full.

The watersports hotspot was last at that height almost four years ago, in 2017. It's well on the way to recovering after it sunk to below one per cent full in 2019.

Split Rock Dam services Manilla and Barraba and has reached 28.5 per cent, which means it's holding 46,000 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water.

Inverell flooded in late March, and the heavy rain brought a rise to nearby Copeton Dam. The supply has hit 40 per cent full, and is holding enough water to fill Chaffey Dam five times over.

Armidale's Malpas Dam reached 100 per cent full and was spilling over the edge, which it has not done in more than three years.

Dungowan Dam also reached tipping point after the rain.

The rain has eased for the time being, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecast showing Tamworth is in for a mostly dry and sunny week.

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