Combined with blue green algae outbreaks, the lake's low water level had cost the city major events such as the Barry Carne Interstate waterskiing challenge.

Wagga Boat Club commodore Mick Henderson, who has since been elected to Wagga City Council, admitted to taking part in placing shutters over Tatton Drain to direct rainwater into nearby Lake Albert and said at the time he was motivated by frustration.

"I couldn't personally do that on my own, but it was a community decision that made us go forward with it to show our presence," he said.

"It was all temporary to get some movement back on."

The shutter installation risked prosecution under state laws preventing unauthorised modification to waterways and the council said it placed their pending lake water supply deal with the NSW government in jeopardy.

The council was able to reach a deal with then NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey later in the year.

One person who got off to a better start in 2021 was an anonymous woman from Wagga, aged in her 20s, who won the entire $9.8 million Powerball jackpot after purchasing a ticket at Lucky Crow Lotto.

The winning ticketholder told The Lott she had bought the ticket on a whim and it was only about the third time she had ever entered Powerball.

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"I checked the ticket on the app but initially didn't know how much I'd won," she said. "I had to get my friend to check. It's just unbelievable!"

Multiple millions of dollars were also on the line via major property developments and sales that were put forward in January.

BaptistCare lodged a $17.9 million plan to demolish its existing aged care home in Tatton and replace it with a new building to "exceed modern standards".

The administrator of Wagga company CRK Holdings attempted to sell land for a proposed 17-storey Riverside apartment building to cover part of the company's $22.6 million to 141 unsecured creditors.

The Homebase on Hammond Avenue, which includes Harvey Norman, Fantastic Furniture, Officeworks, Spotlight, Hungry Jacks and KFC, was purchased for a reported $46 million.

Serena Hardwick, the business manager at Wagga Business Chamber, said at the time the sale showed "a confidence that Wagga is a place where commercial property is still desirable".

Riverina Police District was able to make progress on the high-profile issue of car thefts in Wagga, which dropped by 26 per cent in the 12 months to January following arrests and prosecutions.