Macquarie River to Bathurst part of Bureau of Meteorology flood watch as rain clouds gather

The bureau says catchments all across NSW are likely to be affected by rain this week which is set to arrive in separate systems.

Its flood watch lists the Macquarie to Bathurst, and the Macquarie downstream of Burrendong Dam, as having the potential to face minor to major flooding.

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In a media release on Tuesday afternoon, meanwhile, Water NSW said it had "cut water releases from key regional dams after cautiously lowering storage levels in recent days in preparation for inflows generated by large rainfall events forecast to cross regional NSW".

Water NSW said the latest advice from the Bureau of Meteorology was that up to 100 to 200 millimetres could be expected across much of inland NSW, including the Macquarie and Lachlan valleys.

"In recent days, Water NSW has been cautiously releasing water to create storage capacity at major dams including Blowering and Burrinjuck in the state's south, Burrendong and Wyangala in the central-west and Keepit and Copeton in the north-west," the media release said.

"This water has been released by Water NSW's dam operators over the past five to six days, at rates calculated to create capacity to capture more inflow without adding to flood impacts downstream."

It said Burrendong Dam, downriver of Bathurst, was now at 118.2 per cent and Wyangala, on the Lachlan River south-west of Bathurst, was now at 93.6pc.

Bathurst Regional Council's latest update on Chifley Dam, on September 20, said it was at 101.3 per cent.

Oberon Dam, according to Water NSW, was at 100 per cent this week.

The Campbells River, which is impounded by Chifley Dam, and the Fish River, which is impounded by Oberon Dam, form the Macquarie River just outside Bathurst.

If the low level bridge at Bathurst is closed by floodwater this week, it will be the second time in around three weeks.