Heavy rain pushes Sydney’s Warragamba Dam close to the brim

Water is being released from Sydney’s Warragamba Dam which is almost full to bursting after weeks of heavy rains.

The dam – Sydney’s main water source – is now at 97.7 percent capacity, having surged 1.1 percent in the past week and almost two percent in the last month.

In the grip of one of the worst droughts in decades, the dam hit a low of 42 per cent in February last year, before almost doubling its capacity in the next six months.

WaterNSW started making small, controlled releases of water yesterday at Warragamba Dam.

It’s expected 3500 megalitres will be released each day for the next two weeks, Water NSW spokesperson Tony Webber said.

“The releases will take it down to slightly over 96 percent of capacity, or one metre below full supply level,” he said.