City faces renewed storm risk

IPSWICH City Council is implementing recommendations about widespread flooding and storm damage in the western areas of the Ipswich region.

City Works Committee chairman Trevor Nardi said the 2008 storms caused problems in Walloon, Rosewood, Thagoona, Tallegalla and Marburg.

“The Western Ipswich Area Storm Behaviour Study was conducted by an external consulting agency last year,” Cr Nardi said.

“Two major recommendations are for council to further develop storm risk management plans and to undertake flood studies for each of its water catchment areas.

“It is expected to take several years to complete all these plans and studies but work is already under way.”

He said funding was made available in the 2010-11 council budget for stormwater infrastructure and to conduct planning.

Cr Nardi said studies of seven areas of the city were expected to be completed this financial year.

“Such forward planning will help council develop solutions to manage stormwater infrastructure as future development occurs,” he said.

One recommendation council is already implementing is the use of two-dimensional modelling as the basis for future storm studies.

“Council has bought a 2D hydrologic model called Tuflow, to enable more detailed catchment flood modelling studies to be conducted and highlight ‘at risk’ areas which will assist with determining future developments,” Cr Nardi said.