It's a sight Orange hasn't seen for years, water gushing over the Lake Canobolas spillway.
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The lake's water level rose from just 43 per cent full last Friday to overflowing on Wednesday thanks to a 90 millimetre-plus deluge of rain on Orange from last Thursday-Saturday.
While it would be seriously cold to swim in the lake residents are expected to visit to the area in the next few days to take in the sight.
Orange City Council spokesman Allan Reeder said the city's parks and the lake were open for recreation including people being allowed to walk around the lake.
"The walking trails and paths at the lake are a great location if people choose to use them for their daily family exercise," he said.
"People must use social distancing and the play equipment at the lake is still closed in line with government recommendations.
"Using a kayak on the water could fit in with the government's recommendations," he said.
"The blue-green algae alert was lifted sometime time ago, but the water would be much too cold to be safe for swimming."
It is believed water last poured over the spillway in 2017 after also overflowing during the seriously wet winter of 2016.
The level has gradually fallen since the start of the drought.
The lake received a welcome influx in the run-off from the major snowfall last August but that also dried up.
On Clean Up Australia Day, just two months ago, people were able to walk well out onto the lake floor to collect rubbish.
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