Regional Floodpain Management Project Phase 2

2017

$150,000

$30,000

The RDCO has embarked on a collaborative flood preparedness project. The Regional Floodplain Management Project is intended to provide a consistent, regional approach to addressing flood hazards and risk and guide future decision making. The implications of and ability to manage flooding is of concern and there is a need for a coordinated approach to: reduce flood risk; improve emergency response; and increase flood resilience.

Flooding is commonly seen as being consequential primarily to individuals who may be living or working in a flood prone area. While impacts to property may be of prime importance, flooding also has the potential to severely impact: water quality; water availability for domestic and instream use; and aquatic habitat.

Phase 1 of the project resulted in the development of a Regional Floodplain Management Plan (RFMP). Phase 2 is intended to implement the recommendations of the RFMP. In particular, Phase 1 identified priority areas for more detailed flood hazard and risk assessment. Of particular concern is the safety of dams and reservoirs and the consequences of dam failures. The RFMP also identified information gaps required to carry out Phase 2. In order to improve the Phase 2 risk assessment, mapping of environmental elements at risk is required.