The problem arose last week during heavy rain because the dam was full and could not hold more run-off.

Members of four Mount Olive families who contacted The Argus said the issue resulted from State Water officials keeping the dam’s water level at 100 per cent capacity.

Residents said they were also flooded in by dam water releases during heavy rain last November.

Up to 3700 million litres of water a day was released in November and about 900 million litres a day was released last week.

The residents called for a review of the dam’s water management practices.

They said the use of long-range weather forecasts and forward planning would allow some water to be released before predicted rain so residents wouldn’t be inconvenienced and the dam remained near full and was able to hold rain run-off.

Mount Olive resident Daryl Franham said: “State Water has an early warning system to let us know when they plan to flood us in but residents think they should be using weather forecasts to make water releases so they don’t have to flood us in.

“In November, water at the Geary’s Crossing causeway was 1.8 metres high and this time it’s over a metre and its flowing so fast there’s no way you could get across it.

“People can’t get to work, children can’t get to school or any other activity in town and you just hope no-one becomes sick and needs medical assistance.”

Mr Frankham said that during the 20 years he’d lived at Mount Olive water released from the dam had not flooded residents in as drought conditions helped regulate the flows.

Pauline Lawrence and Jodie Stephens said they had children stay with friends and family in Singleton so they would not miss school because of flooding.

State Water media spokesman Tony Webber responded to community concerns but did not say whether a review would take place.

Water releases for flood mitigation must take into account dam safety, prevailing and forecast weather plus the security of downstream water supplies, he said.