Salad Bowl:Floods a small price to pay for prosperity

It was a sentiment echoed by publican Gary Oates, who said most of Enngonia's 124 residents were excited about the approaching flood, even though they are likely to become isolated within a week. "The water has turned a dust salad bowl to a fruit salad bowl and plastic tray, so attitudes are good," he said.

The Darling, Culgoa, Warrego, Bokhara and Paroo rivers are expected to continue flooding for several weeks, cutting off towns, livestock and properties.

The townships of Wanaaring, Goodooga and Weilmoringle, and hundreds of rural properties are already isolated and are predicted to be cut off for up to six weeks.

The opal town of Lightning Ridge, with a population of 2600, is expected be cut off from late this week.

About 320 residents in Goodooga, on the Bokhara River, received 165 boxes of food yesterday, flown in by SES chopper.

The manager of the flood warning centre at the Bureau of Meteorology, Gordon McKay, forecast "a good few years of prosperity" for the far northwest. "It is going to replenish the resources in the area and in the long term will have a very positive impact."

However the deluge does not mean the drought is over for much of NSW. Some catchments still have low dam levels.