New plan to minimise flood hazard in Lismore

Lismore City Council has commenced the preparation of a new Flood Risk Management Plan that will identify the measures designed to minimise the community’s exposure to flood hazard.

The Floodplain Management Committee, which is overseeing the preparation of the new Flood Risk Management Plan, met last week with Engeny Water Management, which has been engaged by Council to prepare the new Plan.

The Committee has focused on increased preparedness and education on flooding and to create new strategies such as nature-based solutions to mitigate the flood threat further upstream before it hits the Lismore urban areas.

Principal Engineer of Engeny Water Management, Mark Page, said the initial investigation had resulted in viable options that now need further analysis.

‘All the initial work to understand flood behaviour and find risks has resulted in us developing preliminary measures to reduce the risk of flooding to the community,’ Mr Page said.

‘Now it’s time to engage with the community, gain feedback and ultimately develop the recommendations on how Lismore can manage the flood risk to the community.

‘Crucial parts of the plan is getting the education and preparation right prior to a flood event and ensuring the messaging is clear during a flood.’

Mr Page also said the proposals coming forward to the community will include both structural and non-structural options.

‘The community will have a variety of options such as non-structural options which are non-engineering solutions that include land use planning and flood emergency management, while the options for physical measures that involve structural work include nature-based solutions, widening flood plains and drainage and levees,’ he said.

The next steps in the Floodplain Risk Management Plan will be investigating flood mitigation using nature-based solutions, looking at the role of community responses to floods and initial community engagement and feedback.