Most of the dams surrounding the Illawarra are close to full after the heavy downpours of the past few weeks, with some at 100 per cent capacity and overflowing.
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In the past week, according to Water NSW, 153mm of rain fell in the Nepean Catchment, which includes the Nepean, Avon, Cataract and Cordeaux dams.
That's more than 10 per cent of the total rainfall which fell in the past year.
The rain boosted the dams, bringing storage capacity in the wider Greater Sydney catchment area to 94.9 per cent by Tuesday afternoon.
Cataract Dam, which is the second largest in the catchment is now sitting at 93.9 per cent capacity, which is up by 11.6 percentage points from a week ago.
Nepean Dam is full, up from 76.8 per cent capacity just a week ago, while Avon Dam is 93.4 per cent full and Cordeaux is holding 87.7 per cent of its capacity.
In the Shoalhaven, 201mm fell over the catchment in the past week (nearly 20 per cent of the past year's rainfall) which has caused the Tallowa Dam to spill, and create some spectacular waterfalls in the area.
The brimming dams provide a stark contrast to levels a year ago, which were sitting at between 29 and 44 per cent capacity as the warmer months approached.
They remained low over summer with tighter water restrictions introduced and Cataract dropping to around 25 per cent capacity by January.
Since February, when the region received the fifth highest monthly rainfall on record, the dams have remained at high levels.
Looking ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology's long range forecasts have predicted a wetter than average September to November across the eastern half of Australia.
Despite this, low grade water restrictions remain in place for the Illawarra, Sydney and Blue Mountains.
According to Sydney Water, "it's still too early to tell if the recent rain is just temporary relief from drought or a sign that things are improving."
"We're constantly monitoring dam levels and we'll respond as needed to protect our water supplies," the company's website says.
Under level 1 water restrictions, residents and businesses are banned from leaving hoses running unattended, washing vehicles and buildings with a hose that is not fitted with a trigger nozzle.
Fines apply for breaches - $220 for residential breaches and $550 for businesses.
Dam levels
- Cataract Dam 93.9%
- Cordeaux Dam 87.7%
- Avon Dam 93.4%
- Nepean Dam 100%
- Tallowa Dam (Shoalhaven) 100%
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Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
