The groundwater in Stuarts Point peaked at the end of last week with Council set to continue pumping and precautions.
The recent intense rainfall lead to the groundwater table level rising in Stuarts Point.
Kempsey Shire Council established staff and equipment, including five above ground pumps, ahead of the rain as a precaution and pumping commenced during the afternoon on Wednesday 6 July following heavy localised rainfall and concern from the community.
Groundwater levels rose dramatically on Wednesday afternoon and continued to rise through to Friday’s peak. The groundwater level has been falling slowly since then.
Groundwater levels peaked at approximately 5.1m AHD on Friday, falling approximately 300mm short of the March 2021 peak and 470mm short of the March 2022 peak.
Fire and Rescue Trucks assisted the pumping efforts during the heaviest rainfall received in the evening on Wednesday, then moved to standby for further assistance should it have been required. The five Council pumps remain installed and continue to operate.
Environmental Health Officers continue to conduct site inspections and address the impacts of the recent rainfall, however from the feedback received so far the overall impact has been less than anticipated.
Pumping and environmental monitoring will continue until groundwater levels return to an acceptable level.
Stuarts Point experienced extremely high groundwater levels following the March flood with dwellings saved from damage through the use of above ground pumps.
Groundwater levels fall at a very slow rate, however while they are still at an elevated level, they fell consistently in the recent extended drier period.
Council is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as required.
