Namoi River causes major flooding in Gunnedah with floodwaters inundating streets, properties

The State Emergency Service (SES) says the Namoi River is hovering between 8.24 and 8.25m at 10.30am on Saturday.

The river was predicted to peak at 8.30m in the early hours of Saturday, but the water is moving slower than first predicted.

Several properties are surrounded by water, and in town, a number of homes have water lapping through their front and backyards.

SES spokesperson David Rankine told the Leader crews expected the water could sit close to the peak for much of the day.

"At 10am, the Namoi was sitting at 8.24m and we're keeping an eye on some pulses coming down the river from Keepit Dam releases," he said.

"Upstream, Carroll Gap has started to recede, the Mooki has started to recede, so we're keeping an eye on those pulses from Keepit.

"The peak stayed around for a day effectively at that major level at Breeza, so we could expect something like that today."

The overnight team of SES volunteers - including crews from Broken Hill - clocked off for some rest on Saturday morning after a night of watching the river, protecting homes and three flood rescues.

Another 15 or 16 volunteers are on the ground in Gunnedah throughout the day collecting flood intelligence, and helping locals as the water makes its way through town.

"We had three rescues overnight, one for some dogs, another for some kittens, so we had crews out rescuing domestic pets, and another for someone that has driven through a roads closed sign and become stranded in Gunnedah," Mr Rankine said.

The driver was not injured, and luckily crews did not have to deploy their boat for the rescue, but managed to get the driver to dry land safely.

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The SES said properties would have been inundated once the river level hit 8.1 and 8.2m, but the damage count would not be known until the water recedes.

"Certainly we know from our experience some properties that have been inundated," Mr Rankine said.

"Some areas are too deep for us to access ourselves at the peak level.

"We know there will be inundated properties and once the water starts to recede, we'll be doing everything we can to get to them, and assist them with what they need."

Water NSW started releasing water from the spill gates at Keepit Dam on Friday in a bid to give the dam breathing space before it topped 100 per cent.

Water NSW was unable to say how long the releases would continue into the Namoi River, until inflows to the dam from upstream slowed.

The SES - using local knowledge from volunteers with decades of experience in Gunnedah - had been telling locals of an 8.2m Namoi peak in the town since earlier this week.

"We're bang on track with what we've been saying the last week, and that is from that local knowledge," Mr Rankine said.

"We had volunteers out last week building flood dynamics from what the water was doing and what we've learnt last week has meant we've been better able to respond this week."

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