Pumping begins in Stuarts Point as groundwater rises

Kempsey Shire Council has begun pumping in Stuarts Point to remove surface water due to warnings heavy rain will cause groundwater levels to rise.

This pumping is happening to remove water that may seep into the ground, not because the groundwater table has reached the surface.

With the ongoing intense rain it is expected that the groundwater will rise to high levels.

As part of a wider warning, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood watch for the Macleay River with the potential for minor flooding.

In response, Kempsey Shire Council commenced preparations for emergency pumping including additional staffing provisions, installing pumps and pipes and maintaining contact with key agencies. 

On 6 July, the groundwater table graphs rose 0.11m in the last nine hours. The reading at 3pm was 4.4m AHD up from 4.29m at 6am on 7 July.

Levels are currently approximately 1.17m below the high seen in March and April 2022. That peak was 5.57m AHD.

Stuarts Point Groundwater Table 1500 on 6 July 2022. Image courtesy of Kempsey Shire Council.

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.

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