Ipswich Council has released its Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan (IICP), which includes 68 recommendations to build the region’s readiness and resilience for future floods.
Ipswich Mayor, Teresa Harding, said, “Flooding is an unfortunate reality of life in Ipswich.
“We know that flooding will happen again, and when it does, we want a city that is informed, ready and resilient.
“This plan takes a holistic approach, recognising the most effective way of building flood resilience is to integrate the full spectrum of flood risk and catchment planning.
“It will look at factors from community awareness to evacuation routes, flood resilient home design, city planning and development controls, large-scale revegetation and climate change modelling.
“We’ve made sure to listen to the community, by undertaking a community engagement process, and we’ve ensured the people of Ipswich were involved in the development of our city’s plan.”
The outcome of the IICP is an in-depth and detailed technical evidence report supporting six chapters of work across: land use and planning; physical mitigation; community awareness and resilience; emergency management; property specific actions; and current and future flood risk.
Environment and Sustainability Committee Chairperson, Councillor Russell Milligan, said the IICP is a culmination of over two and half years of work across multiple departments and feedback from hundreds of residents.
“This detailed local floodplain management plan is important with Ipswich’s high exposure to flood and complex network of waterways,” Cr Milligan said.
“Understanding the whole of the catchment and how a river interacts with the land makes for better results from both flood and waterway health perspectives.
“Past disaster events have shown the human and social costs of flooding can be just as significant as the more tangible costs of building and infrastructure damage.
“This plan addresses the wide range of impacts with a flooding event.”
The IICP fulfils a key recommendation from the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry.
It builds on regional flood studies, previously completed in collaboration with the State Government and other local councils.
The IICP adopts an approach that integrates flood risk mitigation with other elements of catchment management; such as water quality.
“The IICP will guide council’s actions and future investment, and chart the way forward for the whole city,” Cr Milligan said.
