Flood information - links

[ozbob]

http://www.ewnalert.com/020708.htm

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in the Darling Downs and Granite Belt and parts of the Central Coast and Whitsundays, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Maranoa and Warrego Forecast Districts.

Issued at 1:25 pm Tuesday, 7 February 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones over the next several hours in the Darling Downs and Granite Belt and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Maranoa and Warrego districts. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Dalby, Roma, Stanthorpe Taroom, Monto, Rolleston, Baralaba, Springsure and Goondiwindi.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Central Coast and Whitsundays and Capricornia districts. Locations which may be affected include St Lawrence and Sarina.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20038.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for DAMAGING WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in parts of the LOCKYER VALLEY, LOGAN CITY, IPSWICH CITY, SOUTHERN DOWNS and SCENIC RIM Council Areas.

Issued at 3:10 pm Tuesday, 7 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 3:10 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Oakington and Maryvale. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east. They are forecast to affect Moogerah Dam, Aratula and Rosevale by 3:40 pm and Boonah and Grandchester by 4:10 pm.

Damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.

36mm of rainfall was recorded at Glengallen (near Warwick) within 30 minutes at 3:10pm.
A 77 km/hr wind gust was recorded at Oakey at 2:10pm.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Australia has record two-year rainfall

" It's official - Australia has had its wettest two-year period on record.

It will come as no surprise to most that the seemingly endless rain from spring 2010 to autumn last year, and again late last year, resulted in record falls.

Averaged across Australia the two-year rainfall total for 2010-2011 of 1409mm beat the old record of 1407mm set during 1973-1974.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/weather/australia-has-record-twoyear-rainfall-20120207-1r38u.html "

[ozbob]

BOM  http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml

1600 hours 7th Feb 2012

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20038.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for FLASH FLOODING

For people in the IPSWICH CITY and parts of the BRISBANE CITY, LOCKYER VALLEY, LOGAN CITY, SCENIC RIM and SOMERSET Council Areas.

Issued at 4:08 pm Tuesday, 7 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 4:05 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Grandchester and Rosevale. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to northeast. They are forecast to affect Marburg by 4:35 pm and Ipswich by 5:05 pm.

Very heavy rainfall and flash flooding are likely.

[ozbob]

QPS Flood Update  8 Feb 2012

[ozbob]

http://www.ewnalert.com/020802.htm

Southeast QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Flash Flooding

Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in parts of the
LOCKYER VALLEY,
IPSWICH CITY and
SCENIC RIM Council Areas.

Issued at 11:46 am Wednesday, 8 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 11:40 am, slow moving thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near cunninghams Gap.

Very heavy rainfall and flash flooding are likely.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20038.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for DAMAGING WIND and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in parts of the
LOCKYER VALLEY,
SCENIC RIM,
SOMERSET and
TOOWOOMBA Council Areas.

Issued at 2:01 pm Sunday, 12 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 2:05 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near the area southwest of Esk, Mount Barney and the NSW border. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast. They are forecast to affect the area west of Esk and Border Ranges National Park by 3:05 pm.

Damaging winds and large hailstones are likely.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for DAMAGING WIND and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in the BRISBANE CITY, GOLD COAST CITY, LOGAN CITY and parts of the MORETON BAY, IPSWICH CITY, SOUTHERN DOWNS, SCENIC RIM, SOMERSET, TOOWOOMBA and REDLAND CITY Council Areas.

Issued at 4:20 pm Sunday, 12 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 4:25 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Redbank Plains, Wacol, Highvale, the D'Aguilar Ranges, Greenbank and Tallebudgera. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast. They are forecast to affect Coolangatta, Archerfield, Enoggera Reservoir and Samford by 4:55 pm and Brisbane CBD, Beenleigh, Logan City and Dayboro by 5:25 pm.

Damaging winds and large hailstones are likely.

[Mr X]

Joyful, will be driving to work in the rain by 5pm 

[ozbob]

http://www.ewnalert.com/021302.htm

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in the
Southeast Coast and parts of the
Central Highlands and Coalfields,
Wide Bay and Burnett and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:22 am Monday, 13 February 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Dalby, Maroochydore, Kingaroy and Stanthorpe.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20038.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for DESTRUCTIVE WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in the LOGAN CITY and parts of the BRISBANE CITY, GOLD COAST CITY, LOCKYER VALLEY, GYMPIE, SOUTHERN DOWNS, SUNSHINE COAST, SCENIC RIM, SOMERSET, TOOWOOMBA, REDLAND CITY and North Stradbroke Island Council Areas.

Issued at 3:20 pm Monday, 13 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 3:25 pm, very dangerous thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near the area south of Toowoomba and Cambooya. These thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast to southeast. Very dangerous thunderstorms are forecast to affect the area northeast of Warwick, Maryvale and Cunninghams Gap by 4:25 pm.

Other severe thunderstorms were located near Haden, Borumba Dam, Hampton and Tamborine. They are forecast to affect the area southwest of Esk, the area south of Gympie and Amamoor by 3:55 pm and Beenleigh, Logan City and the area southeast of Gympie by 4:25 pm.

[ozbob]

http://www.ewnalert.com/021905.htm

Southeast QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in parts of the
GOLD COAST CITY,
LOGAN CITY and
SCENIC RIM Council Areas.

Issued at 2:42 pm Sunday, 19 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 2:40 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Canungra. They are forecast to affect Tamborine by 3:10 pm and Jimboomba and Logan Village by 3:40 pm.

Damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.

[ozbob]

The following is an advisory produced by the Early Warning Network. An SMS has not been sent with this message.

Tuesday 21 February

Severe thunderstorms are likely today across Southeast Queensland including Brisbane. Damaging winds, flash flooding and hail are all higher than normal risks. Expect southern and western areas to experience activity initially - spreading northwards and eastwards during the afternoon and evening.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20038.html

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
for DAMAGING WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in parts of the BRISBANE CITY, LOCKYER VALLEY, MORETON BAY, IPSWICH CITY, SUNSHINE COAST, SOMERSET and SOUTH BURNETT Council Areas.

Issued at 1:13 pm Tuesday, 21 February 2012.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 1:15 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Esk, Lowood, Landsborough and the area north of Lake Boondooma.

These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast.

They are forecast to affect Kilcoy, Caloundra, the area west of Kilcoy, Fernvale and northern Lake Wivenhoe by 1:45 pm and Ipswich, waters off Caloundra, Lake Manchester and Dayboro by 2:15 pm.

Damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.txt

IDQ20032
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Heavy Rain
For people in the Southeast Coast and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.
Issued at 4:45 pm on Thursday 23 February 2012

Synoptic Situation: An upper low will develop across southeast Queensland
overnight and move slowly westwards during the next 48 hours.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop about the
Southeast Coast, far southern parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and far eastern
parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts late Friday and continue
through Saturday morning.
24 hour rainfall totals of 100 to 150 mm are likely about the coastal ranges,
with isolated rainfall totals in excess of 200mm possible.
Locations which may be affected include Fraser Island, Gympie, Kingaroy, the
Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Warwick.

Flood Warnings are current for various rivers and streams in these districts;
see www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings.
Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.txt

IDQ20032
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Heavy Rain
For people in the Southeast Coast and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.
Issued at 4:50 am on Friday 24 February 2012

Synoptic Situation: An upper low is currently developing over southeast
Queensland, and is expected to move slowly westwards during the next 48 hours. A
surface trough off the southern Queensland coast is expected to deepen and move
westwards onto the coast late Friday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop late Friday
and continue through Saturday morning in the following forecast districts:
- Southeast Coast;
- Wide Bay and Burnett east of Hervey Bay to Kingaroy;
- far eastern parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt

24 hour rainfall totals of 100 to 150 mm are likely about the coast and nearby
ranges, with isolated rainfall totals in excess of 200mm possible.

Locations which may be affected include Fraser Island, Gympie, Kingaroy,
Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Warwick.

Flood Warnings are current for various rivers and streams in these districts;
see www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings.
Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

[ozbob]

A large rain event tracking south west ..

BOM Radar 2.09pm 24th February 2012

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Heavy rain pounds southeast

... Cooroy recorded 335 millimetres of rainfall between 9am Friday and 4am Saturday ...

[Stillwater]

NCL track washout between Cooroy and Pomona.  And, reportedly north of Pomona.  The problem would appear to be insufficient culvert capacity to get water away quickly under the track.  Mary River at Gympie expected to cut town in two today (Sunday).  Some flooding of low-lying parts of CBD, but not to the same extent as 2011.  Bruce Highway cut in two places south of the town on Saturday night.  There will be renewed calls to 'floodproof' the Bruce Highway, which would cost mega millions, whereas some flood immunity works on the railway line, maybe even a short realignment with crossing loops, would be cost-effective would keep the freight trains operating.  Washout point between Landsborough and Mooloolah would require attention also.

Check the sequence of pictures below and look out for the pics of the lollipop man doing an impressive impersonation of the damaged boom gates at Pomona.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/photos/galleries/pomona-downpour/#/0

[ozbob]

Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
26/02/2012

ASSISTANCE ACTIVATED FOR NORTH COAST FOLLOWING FLOODING

Joint State and Federal Government-funded assistance measures have been activated for the Sunshine Coast and Gympie council areas following storms and flooding, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts announced today.

Mr Roberts said the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements would help the Sunshine Coast Regional Council cover the cost of restoring damaged public infrastructure and its counter disaster operations.

Personal hardship assistance will also be made available in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie Council areas. Members of the public suffering public hardship can call the Department of Communities on 1800 173 349.

"Heavy rain and flooding in these council areas has caused considerable damage to both public infrastructure and private property in a number of communities across these council areas," Mr Roberts said.

"The assistance measures that are now activated will help these communities to get back on their feet following thi s natural disaster."

Mr Roberts praised the efforts of local councils in responding to and cleaning up after this event.

"As the clean-up continues in these communities, this assistance will be of great benefit," Mr Roberts said.

"Both the Commonwealth and Queensland governments are committed to assisting individuals, families and communities affected by disaster events".

==============================================================

[ozbob]

http://www.ewnalert.com/030403.htm

QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall

Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in the Southeast Coast district and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett
district.
Issued at 9:40 am on Sunday 4 March 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 9:00 am AEST, a low pressure system was located about
150km northeast of Sandy Cape on Fraser Island. The low is forecast to cross the
Wide Bay coast this afternoon and remain over southeastern Queensland on Monday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop by late this
afternoon and continue through Monday for areas east of the Great Dividing Range
and south of Bundaberg. 24 hour rainfall totals in excess of 150mm are likely,
especially about the Sunshine Coast. Locations which may be affected include
Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and
Ipswich.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.txt

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Heavy Rain

For people in the Southeast Coast district and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett
district.
Issued at 4:50 pm on Sunday 4 March 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 4:00 pm AEST, a low pressure system was located over
northern Hervey Bay. The low is forecast to cross the Wide Bay coast this
afternoon and remain over southeastern Queensland on Monday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop this evening
about the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts, possibly extending to affect areas east of
the Great Dividing Range and south of Bundaberg overnight and on Monday.
Localised 24 hour rainfall totals in excess of 150mm are likely, especially
about the Sunshine Coast. Locations which may be affected include Bundaberg,
Hervey Bay, Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Ipswich.

Currently moderate rain is located on radar near Fraser Island and areas north
of Noosa, extending inland to near Gayndah.
Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.


The next warning is due to be issued by 11:00 pm AEST Sunday.

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ20032.txt

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Heavy Rain
For people in the Southeast Coast district and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett
district.
Issued at 4:45 am on Monday 5 March 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 4:00 am AEST, a low pressure system was located over
southern parts of Fraser Island and moving slowly in a southerly direction. The
low is expected to continue moving slowly in a southerly direction today before
possibly moving in a northerly direction during Tuesday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected about the Southeast
Coast and southeastern parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett districts today,
particularly about the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts and adjacent inland areas.
Localised 24 hour rainfall totals in excess of 150mm are likely, especially
about the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts and adjacent inland areas. Locations which
may be affected include Fraser Island, Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the
Gold Coast and Ipswich.

At 4:00am AEST, the heaviest rain was located on radar near Rainbow Beach,
Goomboorian, Glenwood and the area east of Tiaro. In the 3 hours to 4:00am AEST,
90mm and 70mm of rainfall has been recorded at Upper Cherwell [west of Hervey
Bay] and Mount Bilewilam [south of Rainbow Beach] respectively.

Flood Warnings are current for various rivers and streams in these districts;
refer to www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

The next warning is due to be issued by 8:00 am AEST Monday.

[ozbob]

Solid rain on the way ..

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml#skip

BOM Radar 8.06am 5th March 2012

[ozbob]

Interesting weather formation.  Almost a cyclone and spinning well.  Heading offshore to build up by the looks of the things.  But will probably track away ..

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR662.loop.shtml

BOM Radar 3.48pm 5th March 2012

[p858snake]

‏@QueenslandRail: Trains R running on Sunshine Coast line but customers R unable to access Eudlo, Mooloolah, Palmwoods, Cooran, Traveston stations by road. (3:40 PM - 5 Mar 12)
@QueenslandRail: Elimbah & Beerburrum stns R open but sitn may change depending on weather.Shuttle bus bw Cooran & Pomona stns not runnng due 2 road closures (3:42 PM - 5 Mar 12)

[ozbob]

http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=disaster-status#evacuation

Evacuation centres

The following evacuation centres have been opened offering basic shelter for those having difficulty getting home tonight:

The J Complex
60 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads

Nambour Civic Centre
60 - 64 Currie Street, Nambour

Lake Kawana Community Centre
Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina

Cooroy Library
9 Maple Street, Cooroy

Cooran School of the Arts
King Street, Cooran
(next to the post office)

Pomona Community House
1 Memorial Avenue, Pomona

[somebody]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/floods-destroy-much-but-allow-us-to-better-prepare-for-next-time/story-e6frgd0x-1226295266190

Floods destroy much but allow us to better prepare for next time

    by: Chas Keys and Anthony Bergin
    From: The Australian
    March 10, 2012 12:00AM

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North Wagga floods

After the disastrous flooding events of the past 18 months, such as here at Wagga Wagga, the time is ripe for the federal government to develop a national approach to flood mitigation. Picture: Brad Newman Source: The Daily Telegraph

AS Queensland's inquiry into the deadly flooding in that state a year ago is due to deliver its final report this week, it's time that floodplain management was elevated to a national initiative.

We've had two dreadful flood summers in succession in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. Nearly 40 deaths resulted in these states from the flooding over the summer of 2010-11, and there was great damage to property and public assets. It's likely that the total dollar cost of the flooding in the three states over the past 18 months has exceeded $10 billion.

There's now a real opportunity for disaster management to become a larger, more co-ordinated whole-of-nation affair, in the same way that counter-terrorism policy has over the past decade.

As the federal minister responsible for emergency management, Nicola Roxon should be arguing an economic case for disaster mitigation, not just for floods but for natural disasters generally.
Top 50 Tech Rec Coverage

In emergency management circles, it's recognised that a dollar spent in mitigation can save $2 to $10 in avoided or reduced response and recovery costs. Spending on mitigation should be thought of as part of the federal government's micro-economic reform agenda. It is much more efficient than spending over and over again on relief.

Appropriate scientific and engineering applications can make flood management highly cost-effective.

The Gillard government could get the states on side by promising them help for properly developed mitigation proposals, such as levees, bypass channels and detention basins, allied with the raising of existing dwellings, buy-backs of the most severely affected properties and forward-looking land use development programs.

The last of these measures is vital. It would help us avoid the age-old trap of continuing to develop inappropriately on floodplains, ensuring that flood damage grows ever larger over time.

A commonwealth-state summit to develop a consistent stance in the worst-affected states should be convened to examine ways to make urban development safer. The time to do this is now, just after the states have seen the huge problems that big floods bring.

Generally, the states' planning departments are highly pro-development. They work their way around the problems posed by hazards rather than using them as indicators of where not to develop or to develop only with great care. Meanwhile, the private-sector development lobby routinely opposes attempts to direct it away from questionable environments.

Councils, too, are generally pro-development and their decisions often fly in the face of "due care" considerations. It's unwise to build aged-care facilities or major residential subdivisions in flood-liable locations, requiring the emergency services to mount difficult rescue missions when floods strike. There should be a "no additional vulnerability" test on council decisions about the use of land.

People forget flooding. When years pass between severe events, they come to believe the flood problem has been fixed. Maitland, for example, which suffered grievously in 1955 with 11 deaths and scores of houses destroyed, is now planning to put 1700 new dwellings on the floodplain around its CBD in an attempt to lift the population there to its pre-1955 level. People will be isolated above floodwaters for days, probably without power or communications, after the levee is overtopped. They will scream out to be rescued.

The Gold Coast is another problem environment. Its many canal estates are liable to oceanic storm surges, and the rain from the weather systems that create the surges will also cause floods on the rivers and creeks. Warning times will be short and the evacuation difficulties posed will be immense, complicated by the very large numbers of elderly people at risk.

Dwellings and commercial developments that are inundated frequently, or to great depths in big floods, or which impede flood flows, simply should not be there. They should be removed.

After the disastrous flooding events of the past 18 months, the time is ripe for the Gillard government to develop a national approach to flood mitigation.

Apart from carrots, there should also be sticks. The government should make it clear that it won't bail out the states with relief funds unless councils and the states demonstrate serious efforts at floodplain management by improving the protection of existing development and forestalling future development that will simply worsen the problem.

Let's not make the next natural disaster event worse than the last one. A national approach to disaster resilience is needed.

Chas Keys is a flood management consultant and former deputy director-general of the NSW State Emergency Service. Anthony Bergin is the director of research programs, Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Hear here!

[#Metro]

I agree. But many small towns should simply MOVE OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE and don't zone construction there or at least make the floor height decent...

[Golliwog]

I agree. But many small towns should simply MOVE OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE and don't zone construction there or at least make the floor height decent...

Correction, don't zone important facilities there (which includes residential). Having parks/other sporting facilities in the flood zone makes sense as if you build them right, all you're going to need to do after a flood is hose off the mud and remove debris.

I doubt you're going to see many councils follow what happened in the Lockyer Valley and shift the town to higher ground. It's quite expensive, and in many cases, said higher ground isn't anywhere nearby which can be problematic for towns that evolved around the cross roads of two highways or a rail station. I think mitigation measures such as levees and diversion channels are going to be more likely.

[somebody]

I agree. But many small towns should simply MOVE OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE and don't zone construction there or at least make the floor height decent...

Correction, don't zone important facilities there (which includes residential). Having parks/other sporting facilities in the flood zone makes sense as if you build them right, all you're going to need to do after a flood is hose off the mud and remove debris.

I doubt you're going to see many councils follow what happened in the Lockyer Valley and shift the town to higher ground. It's quite expensive, and in many cases, said higher ground isn't anywhere nearby which can be problematic for towns that evolved around the cross roads of two highways or a rail station. I think mitigation measures such as levees and diversion channels are going to be more likely.

Hard to imagine a sufficiently large levy for the flash flooding in the Lockyer Valley.  Earlier warning may be a possibility, but so is relocating the residents.

[Golliwog]

Lockyer Valley: I think moving the town was the best solution. But that said, when it comes to preventative measures, you do need to be reasonable with what you build, theoretically you could build a levee that would have held back the Lockyer Valley flash flood, but it would have been incredibly expensive and I don't think that flash flooding is something you can predict well enough to design something properly around, other than perhaps a retention basin to catch the first part of the flow to give people more time. By definition, flash floods are incredibly 'peaky' and you can have conditions change massively in minutes, so for places like that prevention isn't really an option. Places like the Lockyer Valley where you have a steep catchment and a number of local valleys converging are places where you can't help but get fast and heavy flows if you get a heavy rain event.

At the same time though, every single place and every flood is different. Something that may have helped with the January floods might not help with the next big flood we have. I definitely agree with the idea that we need a national approach to flood mitigation, but I say let the 'experts' look into how that is best achieved.

[#Metro]

I think philosophically, it is dangerous to "leave it up to the experts".

What do you/we want?
What do you/we need?
What do you/we value?

Experts can't answer these questions. Experts cannot decide for other people what they want.
As an example, An ice cream or confectionery connoisseur with a bazillion years of experience and a tonne of awards, or even a Nobel prize cannot decide
what, say, my children might like to eat in an ice-cream!

Experts can tell you what the consequences are of each option, what different options are, make recommendations... but ultimately we also need advocates, because
they communicate the value framework in which these ideas and plans fit.

This is the basis of the disagreement between STB and I in the Route 590 report back thread. STB criticised me for not providing "evidence" or having
a level of argument at the  planning level of rigour... my response was basically I'm an advocate, it's not my job, and so you're barking up the wrong tree...

[Golliwog]

I will take my experts any day. Yes, they might not give you exactly what you want, but they know what they're doing and use sound judgement and evidence (where available) to justify their recommendations. You might want a levee built so that your house will never flood, but thats not a reasonable expectation. Doing so would cost exorbitant amounts of money, when in most cases a solution that only had a 1% possibility of flooding each year would be the most you would expect, for even lower. Yes people will be upset if their property still floods, but you need to be objective and not emotional when making these types of decisions. At the end of the day, the money has to come from somewhere.

[#Metro]

At the end of the day, the money has to come from somewhere.

This is exactly my point. The money isn't going to be paid for by experts... it is going to be paid for by the people who live there - people who aren't experts.
The question "what level of risk to the community is acceptable in regards to flooding/fires/cyclone/whatever" isn't a question that an expert can decide on,
because there is not technical answer as to whether Q20 Q50 Q100 or Q500, that and the fact that they're paying for it... indeed this is why we have politicians
as much as we may despise them...

[Golliwog]

But I mean, why is it acceptable to have a Government inquiry into something that's gone wrong and accept their findings as legal 'experts' and for these legal people to call on engineers, hydrologists and others as 'experts' in their respective fields to give evidence in the matter, yet the idea of these same engineers, hydrologists and others actually making the decisions in the first place about what needs to be done to provide mitigation for possible flood events is something they can't do?

Politicians are needed for getting public ideas and sharing them and all that kind of stuff, but when it comes to actually implementing them, this should be left to experts, with appropriate community consultation. For instance, I think that the backflow valves that so many want to have installed on BCC stormwater drains need to be looked at by these experts as they can make flooding worse.

[SurfRail]

But I mean, why is it acceptable to have a Government inquiry into something that's gone wrong and accept their findings as legal 'experts' and for these legal people to call on engineers, hydrologists and others as 'experts' in their respective fields to give evidence in the matter, yet the idea of these same engineers, hydrologists and others actually making the decisions in the first place about what needs to be done to provide mitigation for possible flood events is something they can't do?

Not really - the purpose of the enquiry is to determine whether they did the right thing at the time.  Given the importance of their actions it is to be expected that they would do that, but it apparently remains to be seen.

[mufreight]

But I mean, why is it acceptable to have a Government inquiry into something that's gone wrong and accept their findings as legal 'experts' and for these legal people to call on engineers, hydrologists and others as 'experts' in their respective fields to give evidence in the matter, yet the idea of these same engineers, hydrologists and others actually making the decisions in the first place about what needs to be done to provide mitigation for possible flood events is something they can't do?

Not really - the purpose of the enquiry is to determine whether they did the right thing at the time.  Given the importance of their actions it is to be expected that they would do that, but it apparently remains to be seen.

The bottom line is these same "EXPERTS" being the indecisive bureaucrats that they are made the wrong decissions too late probably as a result of equally indecisive politicaly based instruction, but the bottom line is managed differently with the appropriate actions taken in a more reasonable time frame there would have been more than 5000 residential dwellings that would not have been subject to inundation. 
They are employed to do a job and they failed in the principal objective of that job for whatever reason.

[ozbob]

The flood report is due to be released tomorrow, that will no doubt be a frenzy of sorts ...