Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Lower Balonne and Bokhara Rivers in Southern Queensland

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Lower Balonne River and Balonne River Minor, as well as a Minor Flood Warning for the Bokhara River. This update, Flood Warning Number 4, was issued at 1:00 pm AEST on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers multiple geographic regions and river systems in Queensland, including:

• St George: Moderate flooding expected.
• Dirranbandi: Minor flooding likely, with moderate flooding possible.
• Hebel: Minor flooding possible early next week.
• Whyenbah and Warroo: Impacted by upstream peaks and rising river levels.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas should adhere to the following safety advice:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is dangerous.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and other waterways.
• Obey all road closures and instructions from emergency services.

Expected Conditions

While no significant rainfall is forecast for the catchment over the next few days, upstream floodwaters are continuing to move through the system:

• St George: The river is expected to exceed the moderate flood level (8.00 m) overnight Thursday into Friday, with a potential peak near 8.20 metres overnight Friday into Saturday.
• Dirranbandi: The Balonne River Minor is currently at 3.87 metres and rising. It is likely to exceed the minor flood level (4.00 m) Thursday afternoon and may reach the moderate flood level (4.30 m) by Friday afternoon.
• Hebel: The Bokhara River is currently steady at -0.03 metres but may exceed the minor flood level (1.00 m) as early as next week.
• Beardmore Dam: Peak inflows are likely to occur during Friday.

Timeline

The alert is effective immediately. A minor flood peak is expected at Warroo on Thursday evening. Moderate flooding is forecast for St George and Dirranbandi starting overnight Thursday and continuing through Saturday. Rises at Hebel are expected to begin early next week.