FLOOD STUDIES UNDERWAY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND LOCAL FLOOD RISK

Flood studies are currently underway across several catchments in the Corangamite region to improve understanding of flood behavior and help communities, councils and emergency services better manage flood risk.

A flood study assesses how likely flooding is to occur, how often floods of different sizes happen, and what impacts they may have on communities, infrastructure and the environment. This information is essential for emergency management planning, land-use planning and ensuring future development occurs safely in flood-prone areas.

Corangamite CMA, local councils, VICSES and the Victorian Government work closely with specialist hydrological engineers to deliver these studies. Community input plays a vital role, with local knowledge helping ensure flood modelling reflects real-life conditions on the ground.

Flood studies help identify where floodwaters may travel, how deep floodwaters could be, and how flood risks may change into the future as rain events become more intense due to Climate Change.

Floodplains are dynamic, so flood studies are updated periodically to respond to changes over time, including river channel migration, land use, population growth, and evolving climate change predictions.

Several priority flood studies are currently in progress across the region, providing up to date flood information to guide improvements to flood resilience for these areas.

The following flood studies, led by local council, and currently underway include:

• Curdies Catchment, from Purrumbete to Peterborough (excluding the Scotts Creek and Cooriemungle Creek catchments)
• Barham River, focusing on the townships of Apollo Bay and Marengo. Visit Colac Otway Shire’s dedicated webpage for more information here.
• Painkalac Creek Flood Mitigation and Adaptation Study, at Fairhaven and Aireys Inlet, included as part of a broader Coastal Hazard Assessment examining erosion along the coast and flooding from rivers, tides and combined events. Visit Surf Coast Shire’s dedicated webpage for more information here.
• Smythesdale Flood study, including the Woady Yaloak and substantial tributaries focused on the township of Smythesdale.Visit Golden Plains Shire’s dedicated webpage for more information here.
• Anglesea River Flood Study, this study has just commenced, and further information and opportunities to get involved will be available soon.

The primary outputs of a flood study are:

• Flood maps that predict flood extent and hazards including flood depth and velocities across floodplains
• Recommendations for planning controls to support development and infrastructure on the floodplain appropriate to the corresponding flood hazard
• Mitigation options and long-term strategies to reduce flood risk and build community resilience.

Rachel Limb Corangamite CMA Floodplains Project Officer says, “As the designated floodplain management authority, Corangamite CMA provides statutory flood advice to councils to guide safe and informed development decisions. We also provide advice to individual community members to help them understand their flood risk.”

“Flood studies provide the technical data, including where flood waters are likely to reach and how deep and fast the water will move, that enable us to provide as accurate floodplain management advice as possible.”

All flood mapping data can be accessed on Digital Twin Victoria, the authoritative and comprehensive digital model of our state and Vic Plan our Statewide digital map.

For further information, communities can also contact Corangamite CMA: info@ccma.vic.gov.au