Update Tuesday 10.30pm
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Monday's deluge has subsided to reveal some damage to the Gibson Street pedestrian bridge off the Wollondilly Walkway.
Railings were flattened by Monday's heavy flows in the waterway, which also lodged a tree trunk on the structure.
Operations director Matt O'Rourke said the bridge, completed two years ago, was designed so that railings could be flattened by floodwater, as they were secured by pins. But he speculated some of the pins could need replacement.
A full assessment of any damage to railings is yet to be undertaken owing to the amount of debris.
In response to questions about the bridge's height, Mr O'Rourke said a higher structure would have cost about $1 million. The current one was in the order of $350,000.
Nearby, recently installed solar lights on a section of the walkway were also flattened by the deluge, which breached the banks.
But further along, the water did not damage the newly opened elevated walkway. Mr O'Rourke said water came up to 1.5 metres below the structure.
Mr O'Rourke said the council would lodge a claim for State disaster recovery assistance, given a bill estimated to exceed $250,000. About 15 roads had also been damaged but assessment was ongoing today.
Update Monday 4pm
The council has announced that water restrictions have been lifted for Goulburn and Marulan.
A Facebook post stated that with all storages full, the restrictions would revert to green level, which was the permanent water conservation standard.
Goulburn and Marulan have been on amber level restrictions, limiting each person to 230 litres per person per day, since December 1.
Mayor Bob Kirk thanked the community for its response to the restrictions.
"Although we still have a long way to go to break this drought this is a huge boost for our farmers and rural residents who have been struggling through a harsh summer with extremely low feed and water," he said in a statement.
"This rain will get things growing, and hopefully we will receive more rain over the coming months to set us up for a good autumn."
Under green level restrictions target consumption is 270 litres per person per day, and hand held hoses can be used at any time to water plants or lawns. Vehicles and hard surfaces can be washed at any time, and watering systems and sprinklers can be used between 5pm and 10am.
A number of roads are still closed following the storms, and council crews are assessing damage.
A spokesman said major damage had been concentrated to Middle Arm, Mummel, Gurrundah and Parksbourne areas. The council expected damage to be in excess of the $250,000 threshold, which could make it eligible to apply for disaster assistance.
Monday 3pm
A festive feel filled the air at Marsden Weir on Monday morning as water gushed over the spillway, courtesy of a welcome weekend drenching.
Locals were out taking photos and videos as the Wollondilly River rushed past, carrying logs and debris but cheering hearts in its wake.
"It's fantasic," Mayor Bob Kirk beamed as he chatted with onlookers.
"It's a great lift to people's spirits and will enable them to plan ahead with confidence. There's nothing better than seeing the river get a good flushing. Let's hope the damage is minimal and the effect is maximum to fill dams and lift restrictions."
It has also filled storages, including Sooley Dam. The Wollondilly River at Pejar Dam also sent a wall of water downstream. Cr Kirk said it would mean rural residents would no longer have to cart water or use the council's free potable service at the Recreation Area.
Goulburn has received about 61mm since Friday, with 49mm of that falling from midnight Monday, according to Weatherzone. But people in and around Goulburn have reported much more.
Cr Kirk said a resident who lived above the weir had recorded 100mm. Barbara and Bill Newman, at Mistful Park, Marys Mount registered 90mm of "nice soaking rain" from 10am Sunday to 10am Monday.
"We've been here three and a bit years and we've never seen anything like this," Mrs Newman said as she took a panoramic shot of the weir.
It's a great lift to people's spirits and will enable them to plan ahead with confidence.
- Mayor Bob Kirk
Further down, the water had washed over a section of the Wollondilly River Walkway and the Gibson Street bridge, constructed in 2018, was covered by 11am.
"At 9am you could still see the railing and a big tree trunk was stuck at the back of it but in the last 90 minutes it's breached the banks," nearby resident, Michael Carrigg said.
At 'Cardross' some 12km west of Goulburn, owner Guy Milson was watching the Wollondilly River "expanding very quickly" as it ran through his property.
"In three hours, Goulburn will have it," he said.
"I've never seen the river go up as quickly as it has. We're trying to get lambs away from the water and along the road and it t has moved 10 feet in 20 minutes. I reckon it's one of the biggest floods we've had."
Cardross received 97mm from Thursday to Monday morning. A total 80mm fell on Sunday night/Monday morning.
Upstream, 147mm to 160mm fell between Pomeroy and Bannister over the same period.
Mr Milson said with all dams full, after a clean-up he'd turn his attention to spraying weeds and sowing crops. The 2589-hectare property runs sheep, Angus cattle and crops lucerne.
"It's unbelievable and once the Indian Ocean Diapole moves in a similarly positive fashion and monsoon rains hit Darwin, we may see a change in the weather patterns," he said.
"Whether this means the end of the drought, we don't know, but it's very positive."
Bill Dobbie, Lumley Park, Bungonia, registered 56mm on Sunday and 85mm over the four days.
"Most of it has soaked in, which is good, but there's no flow in Lumley Creek," he said.
A Tallong resident recorded 258mm from Wednesday to Sunday, with 157mm of this falling on Sunday.
"The dams are full, the tanks are full. Now we're just waiting for the grass to grow," he told The Post.
At Roslyn, Katrina and Andrew Nixon were rejoicing in 127mm that fell on their Merryvale property between Friday and Monday.
"All our dams are full and it's solved our water problems," Mrs Nixon said.
"We were going to have to cart water (for stock and domestic) and we've been hand feeding stock for three weeks...(Now) there's a green tinge everywhere. It's very exciting."
She reported some lambs were down on the 624ha holding that also runs Angus cattle.
Other readings included 254.5mm at Taralga from Thursday to Monday. A total 197mm of this fell on Monday, Weatherzone data revealed. Crookwell received 120mm on the weekend and Gunning - 71.6mm.
SES kept on the hop
While the rain brought good news, it also posed challenges.
As of 1pm Monday the following roads were closed due to flooding:
- May Street Bridge and Lower Sterne Street;
- Chinaman's Lane;
- Range Road - closed at first causeway out of Goulburn;
- Parkesbourne Road - closed at the Highway end;
- Highland Way - closed at the underpass;
- Bullspit Road - closed at the causeway;
- Mills Road - closed at the causeway;
- Gurrundah Road at the causeway just out of town, and at Kippalaw Bridge;
- Lambs Lane;
- Rhyanna Road closed at the Fire Shed;
- Brisbane Grove road now closed near airport.
Buses also replaced trains between Campbelltown and Goulburn.
SES Argyle local commander Robert Bell said crews had 21 call-outs and three flood rescues in Goulburn and district on Sunday and Monday.
On Monday morning, two people were able to free themselves after becoming trapped in their vehicle at a Range Road, Mummel causeway.
The same occurred at Bannaby Road, near Taralga when two people drove through a causeway at 10pm-11pm Sunday.
Three SES crews were rostered each on Sunday and Monday. They were called to jobs in Goulburn - including Ruby Street, Howard Boulevard, Chisholm Street, Hillview Road, Bradford Drive and Mount Street - and to ones at Kingsdale, Tallong, Middle Arm and Marulan. Many of these were for roofing lifted by the wind, admitting water, and for felled trees.
Wind gusted from 41km/h to 78km/h at Goulburn airport across the day, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Mr Bell said a Marulan South Road home lost a lot of roofing at 11pm on Sunday. At the SES depot in Lanigan Lane, Goulburn, metal sheeting blew off the side of the building on Sunday.
On Monday morning, Mr Bell said the Wollondilly River at Pomeroy was at four metres earlier but had dropped to 1.5mm by 11.30am. At Murrays Flat it was starting to rise and he expected Towrang Bridge to close soon.
"We're monitoring the flooding and we don't think it will go outside the river into residences but it could cut roads," Mr Bell said.
He again warned people not to drive through flooded causeways, saying it was simply "commonsense."
All agencies are working together on the flood response, with RFS officers also stationed at Goulburn SES headquarters.
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