The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is closely monitoring river levels as heavy rain falls across parts of Otago.

A heavy rain warning remains in place for East Otago. 

Between 9am Monday and 3pm Tuesday, 70 to 90mm of rain, with peak rates of 5-10 mm/h, is expected to fall in North Otago, Dunedin, and Clutha southeast of Raes Junction.

ORC staff are continuing to closely monitor the weather and impacts on the region’s waterways.

Duty flood officer Andrew Welsh said river levels were expected to rise and some may come close to channel capacity.

“If rain falls as forecast, rivers are likely to be contained to their channels, but the situation can change rapidly.”

Areas to focus on based on the current rainfall forecast are the Silver Stream catchment including the Gordon Road spillway near Mosgiel and the Riverside Road spillway downstream of Outram.

Other areas under close watch include, but are not limited to, the Water of Leith and the Lindsay Creek catchments. Also under close surveillance is the Pomahaka River in South Otago and rivers in North Otago.

“It’s important that people remain vigilant, particularly those who live or work near waterways. Rivers will be fast-moving, and conditions can change quickly, so it’s important people stay informed and be prepared.”

ORC will continue to monitor flood and drainage scheme infrastructure and coastal mouths to assist with potential elevated water levels this week.

River levels are expected to rise throughout the week, with heavy snow forecast for inland parts of eastern Otago, which will see snow melt continuing to affect river levels.

ORC staff will continue to closely monitor the situation over the next 48 hours.

There are also snowfall warnings in place across parts of Central Otago, including the Lindis Pass (SH8) and the Crown Range Rd.

On the Lindis Pass there is expected to be 1-2 centimetres of snow settle on the road above 800 metres until about 8pm tonight.

From 8pm tonight that is expected to increase to between 4cm to 8cm near the summit, with lesser amounts down to 500m until midday Tuesday.

The Crown Range is expected to get 2-5cm settle on the road above 800m until about 8pm, followed by between 6-12cm until 10am on Tuesday, with lesser amounts down to 500m.

People are encouraged to keep an on the Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management website.

Communities can find more about river levels and flood alerts on the ORC website.

Click on The Central App’s Weather button to keep up to date on the forecast and don’t forget to check Roads before travelling.

Read more: Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts