Residents of Baddaginnie, Caniambo and surrounding districts are invited to attend a community meeting for the Granite Creeks Flood Study, one of 10 regional scale flood mapping projects underway across the state. The Victorian Government has provided $1.5 million in funding for this program.
The Granite Creeks Flood Study will produce flood mapping for a number of tributaries of the Goulburn and Broken Rivers that rise from the granite hills of the Strathbogie Ranges. These tributaries include Hughes Creek, Pranjip Creek, Creightons Creek, Castle Creek, Seven Creeks, Faithfull Creek, Honeysuckle Creek and Baddaginnie (Five Mile) Creek.
Above average rainfall has saturated the state this spring and streams across the Granite Creeks study area have been running full. Both Castle Creek and Seven Creeks reached the moderate flood level in early October.
These recent floods have highlighted the importance of having quality flood mapping for emergency planning and response. Flood mapping provide critical information on properties and roads at risk of inundation, as well as information on travel times as flood waters flow downstream.
Steve Muncaster, Director of the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning’s (DELWP) Risk and Resilience division, said community meetings are an important part of the Victorian Government’s regional flood mapping program.
“I’d urge Victorians to get involved in the program’s community meetings, as local knowledge is very important in understanding the impacts floods can have in particular areas,” Mr Muncaster said.
“The outputs of these projects will be used to improve land use planning, emergency planning and community preparation for floods, so residents’ knowledge can help their community be better prepared for future flood events.”
The meeting and sausage sizzle will be held between 6 and 8 pm, Thursday 10th November, at the Baddaginnie CFA, Palmerston Street, Baddaginnie.
Previous meetings for the Granite Creeks flood study have been held in Avenel, Miepoll and Caniambo. This meeting will focus on the Northern part of the catchment around Baddaginnie and Caniambo. Flood mapping for these areas have been improved using newly captured aerial survey data. Community members are invited to drop in to view and comment on draft flood maps and talk to the project team about how flooding affects them.
Flood recovery initiatives will not be discussed at the meeting. If you are affected by flooding and need assistance, please contact the Victorian Emergency Recovery Information Line to register your details. Call 1300 799 232 - between 8am and 6pm.
Regional scale flood mapping projects are underway for the Avon, Goulburn, Fitzroy, Avoca, Loddon, Ovens, Wimmera, Otway, Upper Murray and Snowy catchments. The projects are being managed by DELWP and are overseen by local steering committees that include catchment management authorities, local government, VICSES and community representatives.
Community meetings in other areas will be publicised and communities alerted when the meetings are scheduled.
For further information on the Granite Creeks Flood Mapping Project contact Tom O’Dwyer at the Goulburn Broken CMA on (03) 5822 7700.