Council secures flood study funding
The Shire’s flood catchment areas are set to come under scrutiny after Council successfully secured a quarter of a million dollar grant from the NSW State Government designed to help better manage and plan for future flood events.
Announced by the NSW Minister for the Environment, Robert Stokes MP, five of the Shire’s most flood-prone catchments will receive funding totalling $258,000.
Council’s Water and Roads Asset Coordinator, Stace Lewer, explained the significance of the grant.
“Natural disasters such as flooding can have an enormous impact on regional areas like the Southern Highlands,” Mr Lewer said.
“Apart from the obvious physical and emotional toll, floods can devastate local businesses and leave behind a trail of financial ruin.
“This funding will subsequently be directed to known local flooding hotspots with the aim of preparing and implementing risk management plans to reduce the impact of floods on existing and future developments,” Mr Lewer said.
The five local projects awarded funding are:
- Robertson Village Overland Flow Study – Stage 1
- Moss Vale Golf Course detention basin scoping study – Stage 3
- Nattai River Floodplain Risk Management Study & Plan – Stage 2
- Gibbergunyah Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study & Plan – Stage 2
- Nattai Ponds Flood Study – Stage 1
The combined grant funding for the five projects is $258,000.
Mr Lewer congratulated staff who worked on the submissions saying work on the projects would start immediately.
“To have all five submissions approved is a credit to the quality of the submissions prepared by Council staff and a real coup for the Shire,” he said.
“Combined with Council’s own contribution, we’ll now be able to fast-track a number of flood study programs including assessing and cleaning out existing pipes in high-risk areas.
“We’ll also be re-visiting how Development Assessments and Flood Certificates are evaluated and investigating individual incidents of flooding.”
The funding was announced by the Minister for the Environment in January as part of the $16.3 million state-wide 2014-15 Floodplain Management Program. A total of 51 projects across NSW received monies.