A flood of relief

Corangamite CMA have been busy these past few months, preparing for vital waterway restoration work along the Barongarook Creek in Colac. This is part of the Victorian and federal government's 'natural disaster' recovery funding, helping to re-instate areas affected by local flooding in the Corangamite region in late 2016.

Between the 9th and 16th September last year, up to 150 mm fell over parts of the Corangamite CMA region. At some locations around half of this fell on one day, resulting in localised flash flooding around Colac, particularly in Deans and Barongarook Creek catchments around Colac. Large areas of bank erosion, particularly along Barongarook Creek threatened nearby buildings, the Princes Highway road bridge and ultimately resulted in the loss of the pedestrian footbridge over Barongarook Creek less than 50 metres downstream of the highway (imagery below).
 
Fast forward twelve months and the initial work on the Barongarook Creek which commenced in October this year, received its first big test. This past Friday (17th November), up to 28 mm fell within an hour around Colac, resulting in significant stream rises in Barongarook Creek. Recent work had only recently stabilised much of the eroded bank area.  Staff working on the project breathed a collective sigh of relief as the flood waters dissipated without further damage to the works area and buildings nearby.

Work on the Barongarook Creek is expected to be completed by December as part of the broader flood recovery work planned throughout the region over the next two years.