Major Flood Warning Issued for Waterhouse and Roper Rivers in Northern Territory

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Major Flood Warning for the Waterhouse River and a Flood Warning for the Roper River. This update (Warning Number 6) was issued at 11:52 am ACST on Friday, March 6, 2026, following significant river level rises caused by recent heavy rainfall.

Affected Areas

The primary impact zone includes the Waterhouse River catchment, specifically around Beswick Bridge, and the Roper River catchment below Elsey Creek. Elevated river levels are being reported throughout the broader Roper River catchment in the Northern Territory. A Flood Watch also remains current for parts of the Bonaparte, North West Coastal, and Carpentaria Coastal River catchments.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected regions are urged to take the following safety precautions:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwaters as they are extremely dangerous.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and all waterways.
• Strictly obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded routes.
• Monitor the ABC and local media for further updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.
• Visit www.securent.nt.gov.au for local emergency management advice.

Expected Conditions

Major flooding is currently occurring at Beswick Bridge. As of 11:45 am Friday, the river level at Beswick Bridge was recorded at 9.24 meters and rising. Forecasters expect the river to reach approximately 9.50 meters late Friday afternoon or into the evening. Meanwhile, the Waterhouse River at Diljin Hill was recorded at 5.78 meters and falling as of 10:45 am Friday. Further rainfall is forecast over the next several days, which may lead to renewed river level rises.

Timeline

The major flood peak at Beswick Bridge is expected from late Friday afternoon, March 6, 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to monitor the situation closely and expects to issue the next warning update by 9:00 PM ACST on Friday evening.