South Murwillumbah flood survey in mail boxes

10 July 2018

Residents and businesses urged to tell of flood experiences

Tweed Shire Council is asking residents and business owners in South Murwillumbah to provide information to help it complete a floodplain risk management study of the area.

The study, partly funded by the NSW Government and to be undertaken by specialist flood consultants Catchment Simulation Solutions, will build on previous flood investigations and provide Council and emergency services with a detailed understanding of the existing flooding problems across South Murwillumbah.

It also will help identify measures that will best reduce the frequency, extent and depth of flooding and guide future development and re-development in a way that is compatible with the flood risk.

In March 2017, South Murwillumbah was one of the hardest hit areas sustaining widespread damage and losses to both businesses and homes, as well as public infrastructure. The suburb also was badly impacted in major floods in 1954, 1974 and 1989. Flooding rapidly cuts road access to the area and represents a significant risk to life.

Since the 2017 flood, Council has begun a number of projects designed to reduce the flood risk across South Murwillumbah, including voluntary house purchasing schemes and the ground-breaking $3 million industrial land swap. These projects are partly funded by the State Government.

“However, South Murwillumbah still has a significant flood risk and this study is designed to identify and evaluate additional options for reducing that risk,” Manager Roads and Stormwater Danny Rose said.

“A survey will be dropped in every mail box in South Murwillumbah this week, asking both residents and businesses to respond to a number of questions about flood risk and flood response.

“We encourage everyone who receives a survey to respond because the more information we get the better informed we become on this very real risk and our options to reduce that risk.”

For more information, visit https://southmurwillumbah.fprms.com.au/.

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