In an update on Tuesday afternoon, Forbes Shire Council mayor Phyllis Miller said high vegetation had slowed the water and “with that, we don’t get as much damage”.

“You’re doing very well Forbes and you keep safe and look after each other and take care,” she said. “By tomorrow, we’ll know what our fate is with this slow-moving water.”

Speaking of the evacuations, the mayor asked residents to accept it was the “very best system” available, and they would try to resolve any issues in differentiating low areas from those a “bit higher” before another flood event.

“Please take notice, be careful. If you are in low-lying areas, please evacuate or protect your property and yourself as you should,” she said.

The Wyangala Dam, upstream of Forbes, is at 103 per cent capacity as water authorities continue to conduct controlled spills of the reservoir.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the floodwaters were moving “quite slowly”.

“We’re seeing that our dams are full, our rivers are full, our streams are full, and this is causing water to overflow onto farmland,” he said.

Mr Toole said this was “very disheartening” for farmers who were expecting strong crops.

“This means that they won’t get the same harvest that they were predicting several weeks ago.”

SES Commissioner Carlene York urged residents who are hesitant to evacuate to follow the advice.

“The peak will be overnight in the darkness and into tomorrow. And what I don’t want is that you put our members in danger by asking for help as the water is lapping around your house as we said it would,” she said.

Commissioner York said while the water is rising slowly overall, "it doesn't mean there aren't patches where it's very swift".

Denise Sheldon is the relief manager at Forbes Apex Riverside Tourist Park. She's originally from Sydney and hasn't seen Forbes flood before.

"It’s all a bit surreal," she said. "It’s actually a beautiful day outside."

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Ms Sheldon said the water has risen "really slowly" and the forecast flood peak has been delayed several times.

"Even the locals are saying it’s really unusual, they’ve never seen anything like it ... They’re saying it’s hard to predict this one."

Just after midday she said the river had just reached the first step of the caravan park’s kitchen block and around town there was a sense of calm because flooding in Forbes is not uncommon.

“They’re all just taking it in their stride, the locals - they’ve seen it all before,” Ms Sheldon said.

Evacuated residents are asked to stay with family and friends where possible, but an evacuation centre is set up at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Harold Street.

Members of the NSW SES, Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW were door-knocking again on Tuesday after the evacuation order was issued. Residents were given an evacuation warning earlier in the week.

At midday on Tuesday, the river was still above "major" flood level at Nanami, upstream of Forbes, although the peak has passed and the water height is declining.

The Lachlan River at Nanami peaked at 12.45m on Monday night and Ms Miller said the predicted peak at Forbes Iron Bridge remained 10.65m.

“We are just waiting and hoping for the very best,” she said.

The bureau has forecast the river to exceed the major flooding level at Cottons Weir on Wednesday morning ahead of a peak later in the day, while levels could reach the major marking at the Jemalong Weir downstream gauge on Thursday.

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