On Tuesday, the Bombala River was near capacity with a minor flood warning issued downstream, just days after it looked parched and sandy.

It was as a result of an official 50.8mm of rainfall since Sunday.

However, many residents report falls much greater across the catchment area, even as high as 200mm-plus, causing the rapid rise in river levels.

Vic Emergency warned of minor flooding on the Snowy River at Bombala extending downstream to McKillops Bridge with an expected peak (approaching the minor flood level of 2.5metres) later on Tuesday afternoon.

However, while welcome rain has filled the Coolumbooka Weir, Level 4 water restrictions for Bombala are still in place until further notice.

The area around Bombala is significantly drought affected and the rainfall has washed high levels of contaminants into the Coolumbooka River catchment.

Until these are flushed or have settled to a manageable level, the Bombala Water Treatment Plant will be operating at a reduced capacity to ensure the quality of treated water is maintained.

The frequency of raw water testing will be increased and the treatment plant may need to be taken offline if necessary.

Level 4 water restrictions will assist council in meeting Bombala's water demand through this period. Council will inform residents if water restrictions are eased.