Flood Risk Mitigation & Resilience

THE PROBLEM

Each year approximately $560 million is spent by the Australian Government on disaster recovery, however only $50 million is allocated for mitigation and building resilience.  Thus, for every dollar spent on recovery approximately only 9 cents is spent on risk mitigation and resilience.  As noted in the National Disasters findings by the Productivity Commission “total mitigation expenditure across all levels of government is likely to be suboptimal.”

Flood mitigation and resilience can take many forms in a flood context but is typically grouped as structural; levees, retarding basins, channelization, pipe or culvert upgrades, etc; and non-structural; flood warning, emergency management, education, regulations and planning controls.

THE SOLUTION

The Venant Solutions team has undertaken numerous Flood Risk Mitigation and Resilience investigations, both as specific studies focused on identified risks, as well as part of broader studies.  Many of the studies listed on our Rural and Urban Flood Mapping pages include mitigation and resilience investigations.  Flood model outputs are used to classify risks and hazards, and to undertake a flood damages assessment.  Using this information our experts determine the true risk of flooding to the community by considering risk (likelihood and consequences) in a holistic manner.  This information is initially used to undertake a high-level screening of structural and non-structural options.  Options are then short-listed in collaboration with our client and stakeholders for detailed analysis.

For structural mitigations, the detailed analysis will include options testing on the hydraulic model to properly understand both positive and adverse impacts hydraulic and benefit-cost assessments.  For non-structural resilience investigations, typical outcomes have been community education, total flood warning systems, flood intelligence data developed in consultation with the State Emergency Services, and planning scheme amendments through special building overlays on flood prone properties based on the flood hazard.

Venant Solutions’ company director, Dr Mark Jempson, was the Technical Advisor during the Inquiry into Flood Mitigation Infrastructure in Victoria by the Parliament of Victoria in 2012.  Mark was also part of the consulting team that supported the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority in developing their Regional Floodplain Management Strategy.

SPECIALIST SERVICES OFFERED
  • Community engagement programs
  • Flood animations
  • Flood damages assessments
  • Structural and non-structural mitigation assessments
  • Benefit-cost assessment
  • Flood behaviour and intelligence
  • Total flood warning assessments
  • Floodplain management advice
  • Detailed technical reports
  • Emergency operational support

 

VENANT SOLUTIONS SAMPLE PROJECTS
  • Halifax Levee
  • Backo Road Levee
  • Coleraine Flood Study
  • Development of the East Gippsland Floodplain Management Strategy
  • Lower Thomson River Flood Study
  • Charters Towers Drainage Study
  • Ocean Grove Main Drain Study
  • Broadford Structure Plan
  • Caulfield Park Integrated Water Management Plan
  • Dunkeld Culvert Upgrade Assessment
  • VICSES Technical Intelligence Services