Council calls for local data as part of flood studies
Wingecarribee Shire Council is calling on residents living within the Gibbergunyah and Chinaman’s Creek areas to provide information on local flood sites as part of a major flood study designed to help better prepare for future flood events.
Flooding causes over $100 million worth of damage each year across the nation and historically causes more damage annually than any other natural disasters in Australia.
Council is subsequently preparing three major flood studies across some of the Shire’s key catchment areas in an effort to better plan, predict and manage the risk of flooding across our Shire.
The studies will form part of Council’s Floodplain Risk Management Program which aims to reduce the impact of flooding on the community.
The Gibbergunyah Creek Flood Study will focus attention on the Gibbergunyah and Chinaman’s Creek areas in Mittagong, which covers an area approximately 10.5 km² in size.
As part of the study, computer models will be used to simulate flood behaviour across the catchment.
For the study to be as accurate as possible, Council is asking residents to submit any historical information they may have collected. This could include written information or historical photographs.
Alternatively, a questionnaire can be completed online at the dedicated website, www.gibbergunyah.floodstudy.com.au. Responses close on 31 July 2012, however residents wanting to submit any information are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
Two further studies targeting the Wingecarribee River from the Wingecarribee Dam to Berrima and the Burradoo Catchment will be concurrently undertaken with the Gibbergunyah study.
For further information about the Gibbergunyah Creek Flood Study or to fill out an online questionnaire, visit: www.gibbergunyah.floodstudy.com.au. Further details can be obtained from Council’s Floodplain and Stormwater Engineer on phone 4868 0798, via email at: sha.prodhan@wsc.nsw.gov.au, or Council’s consultant, David Tetely from Catchment Simulation Solutions, on (02) 9223 0882 or via email at: dtetely@csse.com.au.
The Gibbergunyah Creek Flood Study is jointly funded by Wingecarribee Shire Council and the NSW Government’s Office of Environment and Heritage.