Greater Shepparton City Council adopted Flood Scoping Studies for Tallygaroopna and Katandra West at its July Council Meeting on Tuesday, to improve flood mapping in both towns.
In Summary
- Comprehensive studies were conducted in Tallygaroopna and Katandra West to assess historical flood impacts, incorporating community feedback and verified data.
- Tallygaroopna findings identified a one per cent annual exceedance probability of flooding with recommendations including a planning scheme amendment, minimum floor level controls and updates to flood management plans.
- Katandra West findings determined low flood risk with no additional flood studies required; recommended updating the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay in the planning scheme.
- Council will update its Municipal Flood Management Plan and Emergency Management Plan based on these studies and work with GBCMA on further flood mitigation measures.
The studies were undertaken to obtain community information about previous flood events in both areas, including individual experiences verified by photos and flood lines on private properties.
Both flood scoping studies were managed by staff from Council, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) and SES, and involved considerable consultation with the community. This included the formation of Community Reference Groups and community drop-in sessions in both towns.
With the studies now adopted, Council will work to update its Municipal Flood Management Plan and Emergency Management Plan to reflect the findings.
The Tallygaroopna study outlined how the town has been affected by flooding on six separate occasions between 1919 and 2012. The study confirmed that there is likely to be a one per cent annual exceedance probability (AEP) of above floor flooding in Tallygaroopna, however this would be limited to a small number of properties. The report recommended several actions to be implemented over the next five years, including:
- Undertake a planning scheme amendment to include a Land Subject to Inundation Overlay to reflect the findings of the report.
- Impose minimum floor level controls to development in Tallygaroopna – 300 millimetres above the one per cent AEP flood height.
- Update the Greater Shepparton City Council Municipal Flood Management Plan to reflect the findings of the study.
- Update Council’s Emergency Management Plan to reflect the findings of the study.
- Work with the GBCMA to formalise a trigger height for the control of inlet gates on Congupna Creek using a newly installed creek flood height gauge.
In addition to these, several mitigation measures will be undertaken including improvement of the town’s south side bypass drain, allowance for additional rural runoffs in specific areas and upgrades to the existing railway and highway cross drainage structures. In the long term, a Flood Study followed by a Floodplain Risk Management Study utilising hydraulic modelling will be undertaken. This will occur when funding becomes available.
The Katandra West Flood Scoping Study outlined how the town had also been affected by flooding on six separate occasions between 1919 and 2012. The report found that the 2012 flood was the most severe, with the impact of this event likely exacerbated by failing infrastructure. While no houses are known to have flooded above floor level during this event, the flood risks to existing development in Katandra West can be described as low.
The study recommended no further Flood Studies or Floodplain Risk Management Studies be undertaken in Katandra West, along with no flood mitigation measures being required. The report did, however, recommend several actions be undertaken including a Land Subject to Inundation Overlay within the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme to reflect the findings of the report.
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, thanked everyone involved in putting the Flood Scoping Studies together, saying the community consultation undertaken was an extremely important step in the process.
“The consultation process included the formation of a Community Reference Group for both towns and community drop-in sessions where Council heard directly from relevant organisations and residents who have first-hand knowledge of previous flood events,” he said.
“This was an important step to ensure we heard from people directly impacted by past floods who could provide photos and insight into their personal experiences. We thank everyone who was involved in the development of these Flood Scoping Studies.”
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