Queensland’s Maranoa Regional Council has secured funding to investigate flood mitigation options through flood modelling of the Bungil Creek floodplain. The modelling, to be developed over the next eight months, will map Roma’s recent March 2010 flood event (its largest flood event on record), and test the potential impact of a new flood levee and diversion channel system.
The State and Federal Governments this week confirmed $176,667 funding toward the project through their Natural Disaster Resilience Program (NDRP).
Council’s CEO Stuart Randle said the flood modelling study will be performed by water management consultants Engeny – the same company that Council commissioned to investigate Roma’s March 2010 flood event. He said taking a proactive approach would allow Council to more effectively implement planning and drainage strategies to limit the impact of future flooding.
“Over the past 12 months Roma has been one of many Queensland communities to face the devastating effects of major flooding,” Stuart Randle said. “This study will use specialised software to help us better understand the behaviour of water on the Bungil Creek floodplain, and ways in which that behaviour may change with the introduction of different mitigation scenarios.
“It will provide us with a very clear picture of community flood vulnerability, and put us in the best possible position to make decisions about ways of improving flood immunity. It will also be invaluable in fine tuning the local disaster management plan and improving the region’s ability to plan and respond to flood emergencies.”
He said that information collected would be vital in assisting Council to secure government subsidies for future flood protection work. Under the NDRP funding agreement, Maranoa Regional Council will contribute $88,333 toward the project.
