The largest floodplain mapping initiative in Queensland's history – built on the latest technology and supported by both new and historic data - is underway.

 

The new initiative is designed as a whole-of-catchment view rather than council by council.

 

The draft ‘Planning for stronger, more resilient floodplains’ guideline has been developed in consultation with more than 10 councils, the LGAQ, Geosciences Australia, and the Fitzroy Basin Association. It is now open for 40 days consultation.

 

This toolkit will help councils ask questions early in the development process and inform strategic planning.


The objectives of the toolkit are to:

  • Promote better understanding of floodplains and how to manage them

  • Promote greater correlation between floodplain management and land use planning

  • Provide councils with a series of criteria that can be quickly adopted to help with the assessment of potential development sites

  • Ensure more appropriate building designs in floodplain constructions.

 

There are 128 river catchments in Queensland. Sixty-seven of these catchments affect significant population centres and are being treated as a priority to be completed before the next wet season commences.

 

The toolkit includes a standard template for a development assessment code. The code includes basic provisions to support better outcomes from development applications.

 

The maps do not show a defined flood event, but rather areas where, based on geological evidence, there has previously been inundation or there is a probable chance of inundation.

 

Thirty-nine of these river catchments have already been mapped. This represents more than 1200 maps at 1:50,000 scale covering some of Queensland’s hardest hit regional towns – an area significantly larger than Victoria.

 

By next month (October) 40 per cent of the State will have been mapped under the new program.

 

Combined with existing floodplain mapping, this will represent coverage for about 90 per cent of Queensland’s population. By the middle of next year there will be floodplain maps for all relevant areas of the State.

 

The Authority will now consult with Councils, particularly those in priority river catchment areas, to seek feedback on and support those Councils wishing to adopt the measures before the wet season.


The Planning for stronger, more resilient floodplains guideline and maps will be open for comment and submission until 11 November 2011. Visit www.qldreconstruction.org.au