Tamworth and Moree SES hand out sandbags as Water NSW slows water releases from Keepit and Copeton Dams

State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers in Tamworth and Moree, as well as other local units, have started flood and heavy rainfall preparations as the wet weather sets in.

A flood watch for minor to major flooding has been issued for inland NSW covering the Namoi and Peel catchments, among others.

The SES is preparing for this week's rain front to deliver heavy rainfall, which could fuel flooding in drenched catchments.

It comes as Water NSW said Keepit Dam near Gunnedah and Copeton Dam near Inverell had been the focus ahead of the rain.

Keepit Dam was hovering at 93.9 per cent after Water NSW managed to squeeze releases out before the wet weather fell.

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The inflows into the dam were about 3900 megalitres on Wednesday, with 3950 megalitres flowing out.

Water NSW spokesperson Tony Webber said dam managers had been creating airspace to capture the rainfall and the water expected to flow from upstream.

"The objective is to make careful and calculative releases that don't aggravate flooding downstream, but what is challenging now is we've had so few opportunities to make releases," he said.

"There is still high inflows and flooding downstream, so it's been very challenging to make that airspace available, but our dam managers have been flat out and they've done a good job."

Copeton Dam was releasing 9500 megalitres a day on Wednesday, with just 2000 megalitres of inflows, to get the dam to 98.6 per cent.

On Wednesday morning, Split Rock Dam - which was sitting at 100.6 per cent - was spilling, with 600 megalitres toppling over the wall in natural flow falls.

In the Gwydir, moderate flooding is possible at Gravesend, with minor flooding possible at Pallamallawa and Yarraman from Thursday.

The Bureau of Meteorology said moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast across the Gwydir catchments from Wednesday through to the weekend.

The Moree SES Unit said sand and sandbags were available from the Moree SES Unit to "assist with flood preparation ahead of this predicted heavy rainfall for the remainder of the week".

"The Bureau of Meteorology is suggesting isolated heavy rainfall is predicted, but any rumours of flooding similar to the 1955 event are completely unfounded," a local spokesperson said.

"Just because your barista was talking to a lady at childcare drop off, whose husband overheard two blokes at the pub last night talking about a team mate they know at cricket training, whose mother knows someone who lived through the 1955 floods, who reckons it could get to 1955 levels, doesn't always make it true ...".

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