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

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Waterhouse River and a Flood Warning for the Roper River. This alert (IDD20565) was issued at 10:44 am ACST on Sunday, March 8, 2026, and is part of a major warning group type as river levels remain elevated across the region.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically covers the Waterhouse River and the Roper River below Elsey Creek in the Northern Territory. Key monitoring points include:

• Beswick Bridge: Currently experiencing minor flooding.
• Diljin Hill: Downstream monitoring point.
• Roper River Catchment: Elevated levels reported throughout the system.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater, as it is dangerous and conditions can change quickly.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded roads.
• Monitor local media and the ABC for 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

Moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours in the Roper and Waterhouse River catchments. While current river levels are falling, renewed rises are expected.

At Beswick Bridge, the river level was recorded at 7.96 meters at 10:15 am Sunday. While falling, it remains above the minor flood level of 7.70 meters. With the forecast rainfall, the river is expected to rise again to the moderate flood level of 8.10 meters overnight Sunday into Monday. At Diljin Hill, the river was recorded at 3.24 meters and falling as of 9:30 am Sunday.

Timeline

The current warning is effective as of Sunday morning, March 8, 2026. River levels at Beswick Bridge are expected to stay above the minor flood level through Sunday evening, with renewed rises possible overnight. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 11:30 am ACST on Monday, March 9, 2026.