A major Riverina thoroughfare has been closed due to flooding as Wagga floodwaters approach the peak.
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Federation Way at Oaklands just south of Urana was reported closed due to water over the road shortly after 8pm on Wednesday night.
Motorists are being advised that the 18 kilometre section of highway between Clear Hills Road and Brookong Creek Road is closed in both directions until further notice.
Road users are being urged to avoid the area and use the Riverina Highway as an alternate route.
It comes as the Murrumbidgee River at Wagga approaches the predicted peak of 9.3 metres.
At 6.30am on Thursday the river had reached a height of 9.22 metres.
"The river is still slightly below some of the estimates we had last night about the peak, so we're probably starting to see that now," SES spokesperson Lachlan Gilchrist said.
"It's just gone up a little bit from 9.1 metres at 5.30am this morning, but the inflow is steady."
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Mr Gilchrist said the river may peak just below the expected 9.3 metres.
"It's not an absolutely sure thing at the moment, but it's certainly encouraging," he said.
But with a major rain event set to soak the city with up to 60 millimetres of rain over the next two days, Wagga is not out of the woods yet.
Two and a half hours northwest of Wagga, the town of Hay recorded 18.2 millimetres from midday Wednesday until 8am Thursday, while Narrandera received 15mm.
Wagga has fortunately been spared much rain so far with just 0.2mm falling at the airport.
"The forecast for the next 48 hours is for heavy and steady rainfall," Mr Gilchrist said.
"The more significant falls [are predicted to hit] to the south of Albury and in central Victoria.
"In saying that, there will be some impact on local roads and conditions here which you would expect from any major rain event."
Despite this, the SES spokesperson said the extra rains are not expected to exacerbate the current flood situation.
"In the short term it shouldn't have a significant effect or impact at all on the inflows," Mr Gilchrist said.
A number of local bridges and roads have been closed due to the flooding in recent days, however no further closures around the city took place last night.
Wagga Council advises the following roads remain closed:
- Eunony Bridge Road
- Boorooma Street, between the Olympic Highway and Gardiner Street
- Mundowy Lane
- River Road
- Ganmurra Road
- Gormans Road
- Central Island Road
- Pipers Reserve Road
- Roach Road
- Edward Street West
- McNickle Road
- O'Shea's Road
- Kneebones Road
- Oura Beach Road
- Deaner's Lane
- Miller's Lane
- Flowerdale Road
- Wiradjuri Reserve Road
- The Island Lane, opposite Wilks Park on Hampden Avenue
- Kohlhagens Road
- Wagga Beach Riverside precinct and carpark are also closed
Drivers are urged to drive with caution and are reminded not to drive through flooded roads and to obey road closure signs.
Evacuation orders for the following areas remain current:
Moorong and Edward Street West:
- Riverview Drive, Moorong
- Scott Street, Moorong
- Poachers Lane, Gobbagombalin
- Mcnickle Road, Moorong
- Edward Street West, Moorong
- Roach Road, Moorong
- Toms Lane, Gobbagombalin
- Mcnickle Road, Moorong
- Roach Road, Moorong
- Parts of Tobruk Street, Moorong
- Riverview Drive, Moorong
Wilks Park
Oura Beach Camping Area
Mr Gilchrist acknowledged the community's great response to the flood warnings and evacuations and said apart from the rescue of an elderly man on Wednesday, so far no one else has required saving.
"This just highlights how well the community have been in following the advice and making sure they are prepared," he said.
"SES crews will continue to engage with the areas impacted by flooding on Thursday to make sure if people need assistance we can provide it."
A severe weather warning also remains in place for large parts of the southern Riverina with heavy rainfall and flash flooding predicted.
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning towns likely to be affected include Albury, Tumbarumba, Deniliquin, Hay, Broken Hill, Wentworth and Balranald.
The bureau said six-hourly rainfall totals between 30 to 50 mm are likely, with isolated heavier falls up to 65 mm.
Flood Warnings are current for catchments across southern NSW.
See http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings for more information.
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