It's a bit like a Johnny Cash song at the moment, 'five feet high and rising', but the downpours across the region have taken its first bridge inside the Inverell city limits.
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It comes as the SES warns of moderate flooding for Tuesday along the Macintyre River in Inverell and Yetman, and the Severn River in Ashford.
O'Conner Street bridge remains closed to all traffic, with the roundabout on Mansfield Street also closed.
READ ALSO
The water level continues to rise as of 7pm on Tuesday night, with Campbell's Park opposite Coles almost completely submerged.
And as the list of other road closures continues to grow, The Inverell Times will keep you updated here.
SES have warned moderate flooding may occur along the Macintyre River to Inverell, with the river already breaking its banks in several places.
The Macintyre River at Inverell, the Ross Hill Bridge, is expected to currently be above the minor flood level at 3m, and may reach the moderate flood level, 4.30m, overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday.
Major Flooding is expected at Ashford on Tuesday afternoon.
Rainfall totals of 50 to 100mm have been recorded in the last 24 hours in the Upper Macintyre and Severn Rivers.
Further heavy rainfall is forecast during the next few days.
Moderate flooding is also likely along the Macintyre River heading to Yetman.
The Yetman Bridge is currently at 3.01m and rising, and is expected to exceed the minor flood level by the afternoon.
The river level is likely to exceed the moderate flood level, which is 7.60m, overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.
What you need to do:
Farmers and landholders are advised to relocate livestock, pumps and machinery to higher ground.
Residents on properties likely to be isolated due to road closures should stock up on essential items including food, medications and domestic animal supplies.
NSW SES urges motorists to take extreme care as there is water flowing across causeways and some local roads.
Road users are advised not to drive through floodwater, as floodwaters may be deep and fast flowing and contain hidden snags and debris.
People working or camping along the Macintyre River should continue to monitor river heights.
7.40pm ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES
Bundarra Road at Stanborough is the latest road to close, according to Inverell Shire Council.
All existing road closures are still in place.
4.20pm ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES
Recent closures include Pindaroi Road at Frazers Creek and Frazers Creek Bridge at Ashford.
Existing closures still in place.
3pm ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES
Inverell -to Ashford Road has re-opened to local traffic only, however Frazers Creek Bridge at Ashford is now closed.
Bundarra Road, about one kilometre south of Gilgai, is covered in water. Council has urged road users to proceed with caution
1.10pm ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES
- Arrawatta Road at the Macintyre River Crossing CLOSED
- Ashford Road - closed 15 km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge
- Ashford Road - water on road near Byron Station Lane - proceed with caution
- Auburn Vale Road CLOSED near the tennis courts
- Bonshaw Road at Three Mile Bridge, Ashford CLOSED
- Bonshaw Weir Road at Dumaresq Bridge - CLOSED
- Brodies Plains at the Macintyre River CLOSED
- Bruxner Way at Beardy Bridge (near border with Tenterfield Shire) CLOSED
- Bruxner Way at Sandy Creek 1.5km south of Bonshaw CLOSED
- Coolatai Road at Ottley Creek at Coolatai CLOSED
- Dinton Vale Road at the river crossing CLOSED
- Elsmore Road at Stannifer Road turnoff CLOSED
- Footbridge at the back of the Inverell Library CLOSED
- Graman Road between Graman-Ashford CLOSED at Tin Tot Bridge
- Harland Street, Inverell near Auburn Vale Road CLOSED
- Howell Road, Tingha at Tingha Sands - CLOSED
- Inverell-Ashford Road 15km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge CLOSED
- Macintyre Street, Inverell at intersection of Old Bundarra Road CLOSED
- Mansfield St roundabout Inverell near the O'Connor St bridge is CLOSED
- Mount Russell Road from the Highway CLOSED
- Nullamanna Road approx. 1km past Frazers Creek towards Emmaville CLOSED
- O'Connor Street bridge footbridge, Inverell CLOSED
- O'Connor Street Bridge, Inverell CLOSED
- Oakwood Road between Oakwood and Mount Russell closed at Crossbrae
- Pindari Dam Road at Oakey Creek CLOSED
- Rifle Range Road at Middle Creek CLOSED
- Ring Street Bridge in Inverell - CLOSED
- Roscrae Lane, Inverell CLOSED
- Silvermines Road at Wire Gully, Kings Creek - CLOSED
- Stannifer-Old Mill Road CLOSED
- The Pocket Road at Buiwan Bridge near Bukkulla CLOSED
- Wallangra Road between Ashford & Wallangra at Reedy Creek CLOSED
- Warialda Road to Bannockburn Road - water over the Road
- Warialda-Yetman Road at Apple Tree Gully and the Three-Mile near Yetman CLOSED
- Wells Crossing near Ashford CLOSED
- Woodstock Road approx. 2.5km north of Gwydir Highway CLOSED
- Yetman Road at Spencers Gully Water on road - TAKE CAUTION
- Yetman Road CLOSED at Wyndams Gully and Mosely Dene and Cucumber Creek
- Gwydir Highway is also closed at Biniguy (west of Gravesend)
GWYDIR HIGHWAY - WATER ON ROAD
- Inverell to Glen Innes
- Swanvale tennis courts
- Long Plain
Inverell to Delungra
- Bindaree Beef
- Former New England Winery cellar door
- Intersection with Mount Russell Road
Delungra to Warialda
- Dumboy Creek - water over road
12.10pm UPDATE
- Arrawatta Road at the Macintyre River Crossing CLOSED
- Ashford Road - closed 15 km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge
- Ashford Road - water on road near Byron Station Lane - proceed with caution
- Auburn Vale Road CLOSED near the tennis courts
- Bonshaw Road at Three Mile Bridge, Ashford CLOSED
- Brodies Plains at the Macintyre River CLOSED
- Bruxner Way at Beardy Bridge (near border with Tenterfield Shire) CLOSED
- Bruxner Way at Sandy Creek 1.5km south of Bonshaw CLOSED
- Coolatai Road at Ottley Creek at Coolatai CLOSED
- Dinton Vale Road at the river crossing CLOSED
- Elsmore Road at Stannifer Road turnoff CLOSED
- Footbridge at the back of the Inverell Library CLOSED
- Graman Road between Graman-Ashford CLOSED at Tin Tot Bridge
- Harland Street, Inverell near Auburn Vale Road CLOSED
- Howell Road, Tingha at Tingha Sands - CLOSED
- Inverell-Ashford Road 15km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge CLOSED
- Macintyre Street, Inverell at intersection of Old Bundarra Road CLOSED
- Mansfield St roundabout Inverell near the O'Connor St bridge is CLOSED
- Mount Russell Road from the Highway CLOSED
- Nullamanna Road approx. 1km past Frazers Creek towards Emmaville CLOSED
- O'Connor Street bridge footbridge, Inverell CLOSED
- O'Connor Street Bridge, Inverell CLOSED
- Oakwood Road between Oakwood and Mount Russell closed at Crossbrae
- Pindari Dam Road at Oakey Creek CLOSED
- Rifle Range Road at Middle Creek CLOSED
- Roscrae Lane, Inverell CLOSED
- Silvermines Road at Wire Gully, Kings Creek - CLOSED
- Stannifer-Old Mill Road CLOSED
- The Pocket Road at Buiwan Bridge near Bukkulla CLOSED
- Wallangra Road between Ashford & Wallangra at Reedy Creek CLOSED
- Warialda Road to Bannockburn Road - water over the Road
- Warialda-Yetman Road at Apple Tree Gully and the Three-Mile near Yetman CLOSED
- Wells Crossing near Ashford CLOSED
- Woodstock Road approx. 2.5km north of Gwydir Highway CLOSED
- Yetman Road at Spencers Gully Water on road - TAKE CAUTION
- Yetman Road CLOSED at Wyndams Gully and Mosely Dene and Cucumber Creek
- Gwydir Highway is also closed at Biniguy (west of Gravesend)
GWYDIR HIGHWAY - WATER ON ROAD
- Inverell to Glen Innes
- Swanvale tennis courts
- Long Plain
Inverell to Delungra
- Near Bindaree Beef
- Former New England Winery cellar door
- Intersection with Mount Russell Road
Delungra to Warialda
- Dumboy Creek - water over road
10am UPDATE
As of 10am, the Inverell Shire Council have announced the closure of an extensive list of roads:
- Gwydir Highway is also closed at Biniguy (west of Gravesend)
- Auburn Vale Road CLOSED near the tennis courts
- Stannifer-Old Mill Road CLOSED
- Brodies Plains at the MacIntyre River CLOSED
- Inverell-Ashford Road 15km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge CLOSED
- Wallangra Road between Ashford & Wallangra at Reedy Creek CLOSED
- Coolatai Road at Ottley Creek at Coolatai CLOSED
- Pindari Dam Road at Oakey Creek CLOSED
- The Pocket Road at Buiwan Bridge near Bukkulla CLOSED
- Warialda-Yetman Road at Apple Tree Gully and the Three-Mile near Yetman CLOSED
- Beardy Bridge on the Bruxner Way CLOSED
- Mount Russell Road from the Highway CLOSED
- Mount Russell Road also has water over the road
- Yetman Road CLOSED at Wyndams Gully and Mosley Dene
- Ashford Road - water on road near Byron Station Lane
- Woodstock Road approx. 2.5km from highway CLOSED
- Roscrae Lane CLOSED
- Nullamanna Road approx. 1km past Fraser Creek towards Emmaville CLOSED
- Oakwood Road at Crossbrae CLOSED
- Footbridge at O'Connor Street Bridge CLOSED
- Footbridge at the back of the library CLOSED
- Arrawatta Road at the River Crossing CLOSED
- Dinton Vale Road at the river Crossing CLOSED
- Graman Road at Tin Tot Bridge CLOSED
- Bruxner Way at Sandy Creek 1.5km South of Bonshaw CLOSED
- Warialda Road to Bannockburn Road - water over the Road
- O'Connor Street Bridge CLOSED
- Harland Street near Auburn Vale Road CLOSED
- Elsmore Road at Stannifer Road Turnoff CLOSED
- Yetman Road at Spencers Gully Water on road - TAKE CAUTION
- Wells Crossing, Ashford CLOSED
- Bonshaw Road at Three Mile Bridge, Ashford CLOSED
- Rifle Range Road at Middle Creek CLOSED
8am UPDATE
After an absolute deluge of rain on Monday and overnight, roads around Inverell have copped a flogging.
Inverell Shire Council on Tuesday released a list of affected roads, some urged to drive across with caution with water covering the road, and others cut off completely.
The BoM is predicting a further 70 to 120mm of rainfall possible for Tuesday.
The following roads are closed:
- Auburn Vale Road closed at Yabbie Creek (on edge of town)
- The Stannifer-Old Mill Road is closed
- Brodies Plains at the Macintyre River
- Inverell-Ashford Road closed 15km south of Ashford at Crooked Bridge
- Wallangra Road closed between Ashford and Wallangra at Reedy Creek;
- Coolatai Road closed at Ottley Creek at Coolatai
- Pindari Dam Road closed at Oakey Creek
- The Pocket Road closed at Buiwan Bridge near Bukkulla
- Warialda-Yetman Road closed at Apple Tree Gully and the Three-Mile near Yetman
- Beardy Bridge on the Bruxner Way is closed
Water is on the road in the following locations, and council asks road users to drive with caution:
- Mount Russell Road
- Yetman Road
- Ashford Road near Byron Station Lane.
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