EMERGENCY services are "quietly confident" that floodwater in rivers are steady and falling away, but in some areas the wait might be prolonged due to the sheer volume of water and saturated soils.

It comes as a complex aerial operation on Friday had placed bulk bags filled with 78,000 kilograms of sand along a levee bank west of the Loddon River at Kerang.

The operation involved a large helicopter with a 150-foot lift line, a small type three helicopter and a seven-person aviation team, supported by ground crew.

The levee bank, situated near properties and major arterial roads linking Kerang to Swan Hill, Boort and Quambatook, breached when the Loddon River reached major flood levels in late October.

After a risk assessment found it was not possible to use ground machinery to repair the levee, it was decided aircraft would be utilised.

The operation began with a briefing at Kerang Airport, before moving to a staging area near the levee breaches, where 78 bulk bags weighing 1000kg each had been prepared.

Over the course of five hours, Helitak 369 lifted the bags and placed them along the damaged levee bank.

The small helicopter performed a co-ordination role, providing direction, intelligence and a safety overview.

State Emergency Service deputy chief officer and incident controller Alistair Drayton said the efforts were successful after the "catastrophic" levee failure.

"It wasn't anticipated at all, but shows you the strength of the rivers and particularly the Loddon, because it was peaking at that time," he said.

"For a few weeks we had been looking at an options analysis because the water simply wasn't draining – the aerial approach stacked up.

"The water can now be pumped back into the river and away from houses and agriculture land."

Mr Drayton said there were four levee breaches in total, with all but one now closed.

"We think it will be a 10-day pumping operation, but the water is now starting to recede, but of course it will depend on any more rain."

Mr Drayton said all tributaries were draining with river gauges falling as they get closer to the Murray.

The receding of water had also allowed more major roads to reopen around the Kerang district, with the Patchell Bridge reopened to all traffic.

Department of Transport on Sunday reopened the Kerang-Quambatook and Kerang-Boort roads.

The Murray Valley Highway remained closed between Kerang-Quambatook and Benjeroop-Lake Charm roads due to flooding.

The latest

Where the flood situation stands in the Gannawarra Shire:

• The Murray River at Koondrook/Barham is currently at 6.15 metres and rising. The river is likely to remain above the major flood level of 6.1m through to November 18-20.

• The Loddon River at Appin South is currently at 2.88m and falling, with minor flooding.

• The Loddon River at Kerang’s Patchell Bridge is currently at 76.98m Australian Height Datum (AHD) and falling. This is below the minor flood level.

• Kow Swamp levels and outflows continue to reduce. The peak of the Bullock Creek inflows and Kow Swamp releases are now below the Kerang-Koondrook Road bridge area heading towards Kerang-Murrabit Road. This peak is staying around properties for up to three days.

• People downstream from Kerang-Koondrook Road to Kerang will be expecting further rises over the next few days.

• Levee overtopping and breaches have occurred over the past week leading to impacts on buildings, farmland and roads in Murrabit West, Benjeroop and into areas north of Kerang.

• Wandella Creek flows into First Reedy Lake are reducing at the Murray Valley Highway.

• Levels at Kangaroo Lake are anticipated to rise.