Residents living near flood prone coastal lakes of the Shoalhaven are urged to share their ideas relating to local warning systems for flash flooding.
Shoalhaven Council is taking measures to improve flood warnings and responses by investigating the feasibility of implementing flash flood warning systems for Burrill Lake, Lake Conjola and Tabourie Lake catchment areas as recommended in their individual Floodplain Risk Management Studies and Plans.
Each of these areas are characterised by being exposed to flash flooding and comprising Intermittently Closed and Open Lakes and Lagoons (ICOLLs) with existing low-lying historic development adjacent to these coastal lakes.
Council received grant funding from the Australian Government through the National Recovery and Resilience Agency’s Preparing Australian Communities Program – Local Stream to undertake this scoping study to progress adopted flood mitigation measures.
“We want to determine the best option to implement fit for purpose location-based flash flood warning systems to improve the flood warning and evacuation capabilities for the townships in these areas,” said Mayor Amanda Findley.
“These important measures will reduce flood impacts and risk to life within these catchments and community feedback is invaluable to ensure we get it right,” Cr Findley said.
The study is being undertaken in accordance with the NSW Flood Prone Land Policy and in close collaboration with the NSW State Emergency Services (SES), the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), and other agencies and stakeholders as required.
Contractor, Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL), has been engaged to assist with the preparation of the ICOLL Catchments Flash Flood Warning System Scoping Study.
Council has written to property owners and residents within the catchment areas of Burrill Lake, Lake Conjola or Tabourie Lake that are on flood prone land or could become temporarily isolated during large flood events.