High-tech model as CSIRO releases flood report

A FLOOD monitoring report has been released by the CSIRO as part of the $11.4 million investment in the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative to prepare for future disasters.

It is the second phase of the the CSIRO’s work which focused on high-tech mapping from lasers and sonar data to build a computer model of the Richmond River catchment.

The report has been a two-year project which offers an unprecedented understanding of how floodwaters move through the catchment.

It shows how water behaves during floods, including depth, speed and direction.

Lismore City mayor Steve Krieg said the report should give governments the technical confidence to invest in meaningful resilience measures.

“What’s required is leadership and investment to turn science into action to protect lives, homes, jobs, infrastructure and economies,” Mr Krieg said.

“The cost of the 2022 flooding disaster in this region alone has reached an estimate $16 billion and is expected to rise further, not to mention the human impact.

“For a region that has experienced 129 floods in 150 years, investment in resilience is a no brainer.

“As a Council we’re ready to lead differently, to back the science, partner with government, and deliver long-term resilience for sustainable growth.”

Page MP Kevin Hogan has called for flood mitigation since 2022 and said a scenario that should be modelled is how to reduce the flood level by two metres through engineering solutions.

“Options like building dry retention basins to temporarily hold water back, and letting floodwater get away quicker, should all be part of the solution,” Mr Hogan said.

“We can’t keep spending billions cleaning up disasters after they happen. We need to invest in solutions that will actually make us safer before the next flood comes.

“Our community deserves certainty and real protection. The CSIRO has done the work, now it’s time for governments to step up.”

The CSIRO team was led by senior principal research scientist Jai Vaze with peer review by three independent international experts before the report was released.

The team said the work aims for safer homes, smarter infrastructure and strong flood resilience for the Northern Rivers region.