Lord Mayor releases flood risk reports

By Alicia Ng

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk took to King George Square today to release a series of flood risk reports for Brisbane’s flood-weary residents

The reports cover 60,000 properties and aim to inform residents of the flood risk to a property they live in, or if they wish to build, renovate, buy or rent.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says the reports will benefit residents.

The move comes following the January 2011 floods that inundated many suburbs in Brisbane and surrounding areas.

Cr Quirk said that the reports are necessary as future flooding is a large possibility.

“Brisbane is built on a flood plain and unfortunately it is inevitable that parts of our city will flood again,” he said.

Although flood risk reports have been available for years, these versions have been updated and the terminology changed in order for residents to better understand the information.

Cr Graham Quirk points out the easier to understand content.

The reports’ contents depend on the specific property but may include sources of flooding, such as rivers and creeks.

They may also contain defined overland flow paths, waterway corridors and predicted flood levels.

Cr Quirk said that the information will be beneficial for residents.

“It really does give people the information they require to get on in a post-flood environment and to set about the task of either raising homes or at least being aware of the impact on individual properties,” he said.

The reports have been released in conjunction with the council’s interim planning measures for rebuilding homes in flood-affected areas, which were detailed last week.

The planning measures require all new construction in flood-affected areas to be built above the January 2011 flood heights.

Graceville resident Ian McDonald was affected by January’s floods.

Ian McDonald is in the middle of raising his house to council standards after it was inundated in the January floods.

He commended the council’s efforts post-flood and said the information in the risk reports will be relevant for others.

“It’s probably of more use to people who are new to the community and people who have to make commercial decisions like insurance,” he said.

Those interested in obtaining a report regarding their property can download it from here or by calling 07 3403 8888.