A $5 million agreement signed between Geoscience Australia and Engineers Australia, to complete a new revision of the Australian Rainfall and Runoff guide – which hasn’t been updated for 25 years – will pave the way for a better understanding of the flood risks faced by communities, says the minister for resources and energy, the Hon Martin Ferguson, AM MP.
The agreement forms a part of a $12 million, four-year program to increase the quality, consistency and accessibility of flood risk information, initiated by the Australian Government in response to the Natural Disaster Insurance Review.
“The guide forms part of a suite of products, including maps of historic floods derived from satellite imagery and a national flood portal providing a single point of access to flood studies, to be developed by Geoscience Australia,” Minister Ferguson said.
“The Australian Rainfall and Runoff guide is a significant source of technical information used by engineers to determine the degree to which a particular area is flood-prone.
“These flood studies provide fundamental information needed for planning our communities, planning emergency response, and for the design and construction of major infrastructure including roads and bridges.
“Since the guide was last updated in 1987, new approaches to catchment and flood modelling have been developed and a significant volume of new data about rainfall and runoff patterns has been collected.
“The new guide will enable engineers to develop more accurate and detailed flood studies, and will enable them to consider the potential impact of climate induced changes to rainfall and river flow patterns.
“The improved flood studies will enable emergency managers to plan and respond more effectively to floods, and will allow engineers and planners to make informed decisions about construction requirements and the location of homes and infrastructure. They will also enable better decisions on construction of major infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.
“These decisions will lead to better protected communities and minimise unnecessary costs and restrictions on development,” Mr Ferguson said.
