A “PULSED” release of water from Dartmouth Dam will add the equivalent of about 2000 Olympic pools to the Mitta River from next Monday.
For the second weekend in a row the near full water storage has been releasing water.
But the Murray Darling Basin Authority is warning of a four-fold increase in releases from next week, river heights expected to rise rapidly as the water makes its way downstream.
A spokeswoman said initially about 4000 mega-litres of water would be released into the Mitta River each day.
“During the pulsed release, the flow at Colemans gauge will start to increase very early on Monday, January 14, reaching about 2.06 metres by 8am,” she said.
“This flow rate will be maintained until early-morning on Wednesday, January 16.
“By early morning on the following Saturday the flow is expected to be reduced to 600 to 1000 megalitres a day.
“Rates of rise and fall in the river will follow operational guidelines.
“With the forecast inflow from Snowy Creek, the pulsed release is expected to result in a flow at Tallandoon of around 4200 megalitres a day.
“However, if there is substantial rainfall during the pulsed release, the river level at Tallan- doon may temporarily rise above 4200 megalitres from tributary inflows to the Mitta River downstream of Dartmouth Reservoir.
“It is also possible that this planned pulsed release may be reduced, or cancelled, in response to higher natural flows.”
The Murray Darling Basin Authority says landholders and river users, including pumpers, should take into account the increase flow rates along the Mitta and make any necessary adjustments to their river activities.