Floodwaters have peaked in Forbes, but residents have been warned that more wet weather forecast for later in the week could cause river levels to rise again.
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State Emergency Service Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow said the Lachlan River peaked at 10.67 metres between 9pm and 10pm on Sunday, after cumulative rainfall forced evacuation orders to be issued for 1000 people on about 250 properties.
The flooding passed August 1990 levels, when 132 properties were inundated.
The State Emergency Service (SES) is expecting some problems with sewage and power in and around Forbes due to the flooding, and some residents may have to wait days before being able to return home.
While flooding in Forbes has surpassed the 1990 floods, in which the Lachlan River reached 10.65m, the worst could still be to come. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a second, higher peak near Condobolin and Euabalong this week.
"There is a renewed low-pressure system due to come in later this week," Acting Deputy Commissioner Morrow said.
"There will be downstream flooding effects at Condobolin and Euabalong on the Lachlan River. They will see major flooding and people will need to start to think about preparing now in those communities ... but of course that low-pressure system will bring renewed rises potentially on the Lachlan River itself in Forbes, and we could see that community subjected to this sort of flooding for the next 10 days to two weeks."
NSW Premier Mike Baird visited Forbes on Monday, and announced that retired NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens had been appointed to oversee the clean-up and recovery effort in the area.
"Emergency services and volunteers have been doing an incredible job. I want to ensure their efforts are coordinated in a way that allows communities to rebuild and recover as quickly as possible," Mr Baird said.
Nick Aisake, from the SES, said there were four flood rescues on Sunday, all involving animals and livestock. He said water from the Lachlan River was starting to spill into Lake Forbes, threatening to cut the town in half.
"There's some water coming into backyards, garages and sheds, but we have no reports of water in houses yet, it hasn't gotten to that stage" he said.
The Bureau of Meteorology also reported major flooding downstream at Condobolin and Euabalong. Mr Aisake said the two towns would feel the full brunt of the second, higher peak by Friday.
Earlier on Sunday, the SES warned against complacency after floodwaters began moving in a different direction to that originally predicted.
