Kevin Malone's family has farmed on the verdant banks of the Tumut River in southern New South Wales for 170 years, but he is deeply concerned that legacy is at risk due to the current management of the waterway.
In recent weeks electricity provider Snowy Hydro has been called on to increase production from its Tumut 3 Power Station, about 40 kilometres from Mr Malone's dairy farm on the Tumut Plains.
Snowy Hydro has said on its website it is "significantly constrained" due to current water levels in Blowering Dam — the Water NSW-managed dam from which the Tumut River flows, and the final storage in the company's Tumut section of the Snowy scheme.
Blowering has almost reached full capacity due to recent heavy rain, but in order for Snowy Hydro to make power out of Tumut 3 Power Station it has to pump water that ends up in the reservoir.
"It is possible Blowering Reservoir will fill and spill, potentially exceeding the Tumut River channel capacity," Snowy Hydro said.
"There is potential for the inundation of low-level causeways and water breaking out of the river channel onto agricultural land adjacent to the river."
Mr Malone said he was worried.
"The river is currently running at channel capacity," he said.
There was minor spill out of the dam last year following months of rain in the region but in 2010 there was extensive flooding following dam releases, which is what Mr Malone fears will happen again.
"We'll be severely impacted trying to run our dairy cows to pasture and to try and access feed that we have located on our flats. There's going to be huge pasture derogation, fencing issues," he said.
The forecast fluctuations in the river's levels coincides with the imminent start of the new irrigation season — when water is released from the dam to help water crops in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in the state's south-west.
"I'm worried as all hell. I quite believe we're going to get flooded," Mr Malone said.
"I think it's almost inevitable, especially with the extra situation of the power generation requirements.
"Snow melt will generate a lot more water and unless Snowy Hydro are able to maintain a lot of their water up in Eucumbene, instead of letting it flow through and [Water NSW] letting the water out of Blowering to lower the levels, I can't see that we won't have a big issue."
'Asking for trouble'
As of Monday, Water NSW reported Blowering Dam as being more than 97 per cent full.
The dam is one of the biggest in the state and is capable of holding more than three times the capacity of Sydney Harbour.
Mr Malone said there should have been more planning and consultation with landholders about the situation.
"Blind Freddie could've seen the level of water in Blowering Dam was just asking for trouble," he said.
"There should've been greater releases out of Blowering sooner to cater for the releases out of the Snowy Hydro scheme.
In a statement, Water NSW said in the first half of this year, in consultation with councils, landholders and airspace reference panels, it released 880 gigalitres of water without downstream property impacts.
It said that since last July, more than 1,740 gigalitres had been released, more than the volume of Blowering Dam.
"Water NSW continues to work with the NSW government and Snowy Hydro to maximise the availability of Blowering Dam to support hydro power generation, whilst balancing the risk for downstream communities."
