Tamworth water supply: Chaffey Dam almost 70 per cent full for first time since 2018 after rain, with melting snow to bring further boost

Soaking rain across the catchment has boosted Chaffey Dam by more than 10 per cent in just a couple of days, and the snow-capped hills around Nundle mean inflows could continue for another week as it continues to melt.

Tamworth's main water supply rose to just a drop below 70 per cent full by Monday night, after hovering at about 58 per cent for two months. The last time the dam hit 70 per cent was more than three years ago, in March 2018.

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Crippling drought saw the dam drop drastically to hit 12 per cent in January 2020, before recovering last year.

More than 10,609ML of water has flowed into the dam from the Peel River since Wednesday last week, which is enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool more than 4200 times.

The cooler temperatures mean stubborn snow is still waiting for more sun before it melts, and with more rain in the forecast this week, a local weather expert predicted further dam rises.

Tamworth weatherman Dave Farrenden told the Leader the long-term forecast looked relatively wet and there was a chance the dam could spill over later this year, for the first time since it was augmented.

"We do need to keep in mind that back in 2016 the dam was at 100 per cent and it decreased very, very much to almost empty," he said.

For now, the inflows from the Peel River into Chaffey Dam are holding strong.

Although they have dropped off from the peak of 5000ML in just one day late last week, the melting snow will keep up a trickle coming in.

"The snow is quite deep in patches and it will continuously melt and go into the river system," Mr Farrenden said.

He said it was the heaviest snowfalls the region has seen in the last 30 or so years, particularly with up to 30-50cm reported around the Hanging Rock and Sheba Dam area, which should melt into the Peel River and continue to boost Chaffey Dam.

The head of the Peel River copped more than 102mm of rain last week, according to data from the weather bureau.

Keepit Dam is also on the rise, with the Macdonald River raging downstream towards the dam, which was at about 70 per cent full on Monday.

Tamworth weatherman Dave Farrenden said the long-term forecast looked relatively wet and there was a chance the dam could spill over later this year, for the first time since it was augmented.

"We do need to keep in mind that back in 2016 the dam was at 100 per cent and it decreased very, very much to almost empty," he said.

For now, the inflows from the Peel River into Chaffey Dam are holding strong. Although they have dropped off from the peak of 5000ML in just one day late last week.

"The snow is quite deep in patches and it will continuously melt and go into the river system," Mr Farrenden said.

He said it was the heaviest snowfalls the region has seen in the last 30 or so years, particularly with up to 30-50cm reported around the Hanging Rock and Sheba Dam area, which should melt into the Peel River and continue to boost Chaffey Dam.

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