Flood Warning Infrastructure Network

Project overview

Following the monsoon flood event in early 2019, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) was approved for $2 million through Category D of the joint Commonwealth-State funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to coordinate a review of the flood warning infrastructure in the impacted communities.

Investment

The total cost of the project - approximately $650,000 - is fully funded. Ongoing operational costs such as repairs and maintenance will be borne by Council.

Key Features

The Flood Warning Infrastructure Network Project is keeping our communities safe by delivering:

suitable flood warning infrastructure upgrades to the most appropriate locations throughout the flood-impacted area;
improvements to Bureau of Meteorology services to support primary producers and communities; and
a range of assets to support better information being made available including the use of flood cameras at strategic locations.

Location

Various locations please refer map image below.

Contact Details

Should you require more information please contact Council on (07) 4761 5300 or mail@charterstowers.qld.gov.au.

Project Sponsor

Which Councillor's portfolio does the project belong to?

Cr Graham Lohmann - Disaster Management Portfolio

Document Library

#	Name	Size	File Type	Download

Timeline

Execution of Agreement - September 2020

Initiate September – October 2020

Plan October – December 2020

Delivery from September 2021

Finalise - 2022

FAQ's

Currently there is a camera looking at the Ivan Baldwin Bridge, on the Hervey Range Developmental Road. A camera will be installed at the Clarke River on the Gregory Developmental Road and one on the Dotswood Road at the Fanning River.

Images will be available via Council’s Emergency Dashboard, www.getready.ctrc.qld.gov.au
BOM Site – www.bom.gov.au

Charters Towers Emergency Dashboard www.getready.ctrc.qld.gov.au
The flood warning infrastructure program is very complex due to the technical expertise required for asset placement and the extensive and ongoing stakeholder engagement needed to ensure any infrastructure is fit for purpose for the Bureau to provide the necessary timely warnings and also to provide situational awareness to the community and responding agencies.

Sixteen councils were initially identified to deliver 36 priority flood warning projects with the allocated $2 million. After securing an additional $6 million in DRFA funding in July 2020 to successfully deliver all of the identified assets, QRA conducted extensive re-engagement and consultation with councils. By August 2020, 28 councils had been approved for a total of 188 flood warning infrastructure projects. The assets to be delivered are a mixture of rainfall and river height gauges as well as flood cameras and electronic signage. It is expected that the flood cameras will be able to be incorporated into the Queensland Traffic website.

To further improve efficiency, the 28 councils have been organised into three areas of operation - Townsville, Far North Queensland and North West Queensland - with project managers appointed for each area. A group procurement arrangement has also been established to ensure greater value for money in the delivery of the program and to save the councils having to undertake the individual projects. As a result, more flood warning infrastructure assets will be delivered in more council areas, which will contribute to improved long-term resilience in these areas. Once delivered, the $8 million Flood Warning Infrastructure Program will successfully complete the flood warning investment plans from Mackay, west to Diamantina, and north through to the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York.

Due to delays in the delivery of the program associated with COVID-19, the Commonwealth has granted an extension of time until 30 June 2022 for this project to be delivered.