Residents of Cudgen, Cudgera and Mooball catchments are being asked to share their flood experiences and records as part of a new flood study of the area.
Tweed Shire Council, with support from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), has engaged independent flood management experts WMAwater to update the flood study, as well as the flood risk management study and plan for the Tweed coastal creeks catchments.
Council’s Manager Roads and Stormwater Danny Rose said community input is essential to the flood study, as it allows Council to fully understand flood patterns and risks unique to these catchments.
‘Community knowledge and flood experiences are key to developing an accurate computer flood model, which will help us assess flood mitigation options later in the project,’ Mr Rose said.
‘It’s vital that we hear from current and past residents, as this updated flood study will guide our approach to future flood mitigation and help us design a strategy that effectively addresses the needs of the community.
‘The flood study will cover all areas of the coastal catchments within Tweed Shire, plus Marshalls Creek in Byron Shire, as these systems interact during heavy rainfall. By assessing them together, we can better understand how they behave during floods.
‘The updated flood study will also include tributaries such as Burringbar and Crabbes creeks, which feed into Mooball Creek, as these smaller watercourses play a critical role in flood behaviour and help provide a more accurate understanding of flooding across the entire catchment.’
This study follows the NSW Government Flood Risk Management Process, which is a staged approach involving data collection, a flood study, a floodplain risk management study and plan, followed by implementation. The stages of the project include:
- Collect and review flood-related data for the area (current stage).
- Develop and calibrate a computer flood model using historical flood events to simulate flood behaviour. Community input will be used to validate and calibrate the model.
- Simulate a range of hypothetical flood events, from common storms to the worst-case scenario.
- Examine and evaluate flood risk management measures, identifying risks to the community and exploring various options to reduce flood impact.
- Develop a flood risk management plan for effective, long-term flood risk reduction.
- Implement the plan.
‘Your contribution to this study is invaluable. By sharing your personal experiences and records, you help us identify flood prone areas and shape stronger, more effective flood risk management plans. Your input ensures that decisions made will prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our community,’ Mr Rose said.
The project team will consult with the community at various stages of the study:
- We’re currently in the initial consultation phase, with a community survey available online at yoursaytweed.com.au/coastal-creeks By completing the survey, you’ll help shape future flood risk management strategies. Please submit your feedback by Sunday 19 January 2025.
- After the draft flood study report is prepared, we will place it on public exhibition, hold community workshops and make another survey available to gather feedback. Any comments received will be addressed in the final flood study report.
- During this second consultation phase, we will also seek input from the community for flood mitigation measures to be investigated in the flood risk management study.
- Once flood risk management options are identified, we will run models to assess their hydraulic impact and evaluate each option in terms of social, environmental and economic impacts.
- After the evaluation, draft flood risk management study and plan reports will be placed on public exhibition. Further community workshops and another survey will be available to gather feedback.
The project team has also recently met with key stakeholders, including representatives from NSW State Emergency Service (SES), DCCEEW, local farmers, drainage unions and community associations.
The Floodplain Management Advisory Committee will play a key role in the development of the study. The Committee is comprised of dedicated community members, Councillors, a representative from the DCCEEW and a representative from the SES.
Community members are encouraged to complete the survey by Sunday 19 January 2025 and share their experiences to make a meaningful impact on flood preparedness and resilience. For more information and to participate in the survey, visit yoursaytweed.com.au/coastal-creeks.
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