Waterways and flooding

Customer Services

02 6643 0200

Address

Locked Bag 23, Grafton 2460
Email

council@clarence.nsw.gov.au
Council Offices:

2 Prince Street, Grafton

50 River Street, Maclean

Floodplain risk management plans

Clarence Valley Council has embarked upon a major planning process for floodplain management in the Clarence Valley which will eventually result in several Floodplain Management Plans covering the whole of the floodplain.

Clarence Valley Council has embarked upon a major planning process for floodplain management in the Clarence Valley which will eventually result in several Floodplain Risk Management Plans covering the whole of the floodplain.

Grafton and Lower Clarence Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Significant progress has been made in developing a Floodplain Risk Management Plan for Grafton and the Lower Clarence.

A valley wide flood study was completed in 2004 which indicated that the Grafton and Maclean levees would experience some overtopping in a 1 in 100 year flood. The Floodplain Management Committee has been preparing a Floodplain Risk Management Plan which may involve a combination of upgraded development controls, house raising, voluntary purchase, improved evacuation plans and more public awareness.

Such planning involves a considerable amount of work including floor level surveys and modelling of various scenarios to determine the best outcomes. Council has recently exhibited the draft plan for public consultation and the Floodplain Management Committee has now completed the document for adoption by Council.

Grafton and Lower Clarence Floodplain Risk Management Plan (3.6 Mb)


Grafton bridge, March 2001	Crown Hotel, Grafton, March 2001


Maclean, March 2001	Ulmarra, March 2001

Ulmarra Floodplain Risk Management Plan

The 2004 flood study indicated that the flood levee at Ulmarra is lower than the 1 in 100 year flood level and Council has decided to prepare a Floodplain Risk Management Plan for the town accordingly.

Ulmarra is also vulnerable to flooding from the Coldstream River behind the town and consideration is being given to such management strategies as house raising, levee improvements, flood proofing of dwellings and improved evacuation plans.

A new consultant is currently being sought for this project and work will commence once an acceptable quotation has been received.

Alipou Creek Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Flooding in the Alipou Creek basin has been identified as an extremely important issue for affected residents. Alipou Creek has a large catchment area which floods quite quickly during heavy rain, and Council has recently completed a Floodplain Risk Management Plan to outline possible measures to alleviate the hazard.

Consultation with property owners and the public generally has been able to identify available options. Such options as culvert upgrading, road access improvements, house raising and floodgate modifications are all included in the plan.

Alipou Creek Floodplain Risk Management Plan (1.15 Mb)

Iluka Floodplain Risk Management Plan

The township of Iluka is isolated in most floods by inundation of Iluka Road near the Esk River.

Larger floods would present a risk to life and property as evacuation via Iluka Road would not be possible. The Floodplain Management Committee has identified appropriate strategies for dealing with floods at Iluka, and public meetings were held in 2006 to seek input to the process. The levee at Iluka is lower than the 1 in 100 year flood, and parts of the town are also vulnerable to localised flooding from heavy rainfall.

The Floodplain Risk Management Plan for Iluka has now been publicly exhibited and subsequently adopted by Council. Funding will now be sought to implement the management measures.

Iluka Floodplain Risk Management Plan (3.9 Mb)


Alipou Creek basin levee overtopping, March 2001	Iluka levee, Loxton Avenue, March 2001

Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Plan (1 Mb)
Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Study (2.2 Mb)

Council adopted the Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Plan, and Study, at its Meeting held on 24 February, 2009. Yamba lies at the mouth of the Clartence River floodplain, on its southern bank. It represents a major urban centre in the lower Clarence River valley and has a permanent population in the order of 6,000 residents, whci doubles during peak holiday season.

There is a long history of flooding on the lower Clarence floodplain, particularly at Graftopn. At Yamba, there is only limited flood history as flooding has not caused the devasting damage that has ccurred elsewhere. The last significant flood on the Clarence River was in March 2001 but this did not cause damage to the township. The May 1996 flood recorded lower levels upstream in the Clarence River but resulted in more flooding problems at Yamba than in March 2001 due to higher ocean levels at the time of the flood.

The Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Plan and Study have been prepared to identify the nature and extent of the flood risk to Yamba and to identify a range of measures to manage those impacts. They therefore provide a basis for future planning, infrastructure and emergency management decisions by Council, State Government Agencies and the wider community.

Wooli River Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Wooli River Floodplain Risk Management Plan (0.8 Mb)

Mid-Clarence Floodplain Risk Management Plan

Most of the rural villages on the Clarence Valley floodplain have no flood protection. Hence work has commenced on identifying strategies to improve safety in rural villages and surrounding areas.

Such strategies as house raising and flood proofing of dwellings are likely to be employed along with better flood preparedness and awareness amongst landowners.