Levees always cause a number of issues. Where do you put it? Who is inside and who is outside? What about the increased levels of water in homes outside the levee? These are all issues that as a community need to be worked out. Other mitigations such as channel enlargement, diversions and flood dams should also be explored.
Whether we install mitigation devices or not, we also need to explore the possibility of raising houses above flood level, or organising some form of land swap for land on higher ground. Perhaps some of the lower lying land could be used as public spaces such as sports fields and parks.
For those communities that are not subject to regular flooding, we need to have a look at the flood monitoring network and identify where “Holes” exist. For example there is only one monitoring station above Mitchell and it is 3 hours “river time” upstream. I have already expressed my desire to see the Forestvale station on the Maranoa Re-Automated, but I would like to see a complete overview with some meaningful community consultation to identify gaps across the entire Maranoa region.
For example, I have heard anecdotal reports of a need for better monitoring on the Coggoon River and also North of the Begonia area as well.
The installation of flood monitoring is one of the issues that continually get bounced around between the 3 levels of Government with everyone wanting everyone else to do it. I think that Council must take a lead role in seeing that the Buck Passing stops and that SOMEONE just gets on and does it.
I believe that the best thing for roma is better upstream monitoring to allow an earlier warning system. At the moment we(the ses) do monitoring manually upstream by getting in a vehicle every couple of hours during rain events and drive to up near bymount and back to see what is happening. Mitigation methods such as levee banks i dont believe will be effective, as we are not like charleville, st george etc where the water course is outside the town. And also the water into roma does not flow in from one place. We actually have several water entry points into roma.
ReplyDeleteBryce, I agree that monitoring is important. it is something that i have been espousing for some time. there are a number of gaps across the entire region and better warning is important. Quite some time ago, I pledged to see the reinstatement of monitoring in the upper Maranoa catchment and in the broader region as well.
DeleteMonitoring alone is not the key, it's fine to say, that the flood is coming and how big it is, but a flood is a flood when it leaves 2 inches of mud on your living room floor.
Engineering solutions are an improtant part of flood mitigation. Levees that divert flow are one part of the system, channel enlargement of the creek is another, along with raising of houses, reviewing road and rail drainage structures and improvements to stormwater drainage. We also need to have a look at planning and development issues as well. we have to stop putting additional stormwater in the long drain in Roma.
Charleville has been proactive in managing their flood risk, preventing the warrego river from flooding the town was the first step, now with plans to divert bradleys gully which runs trough the centre of town, and an additional levee to divert that water into the river and not through the town, they are on the way to addressing their problem.