The Victorian Government is investing $22.2 million in helping local governments to fast-track more flood studies, to prepare communities for future flood events.
This funding will help accelerate flood mapping data studies, which will be used to update planning council schemes so they can identify suitable locations for new development and avoid high flood-risk areas.
The package includes:
- $10 million over the next five years to complete an estimated 32 flood studies in regional Victoria
- $5 million over three years to fast-track scoping of future flood mitigation activities
- $3.9 million over the next two years to help councils implement 40 flood studies into Victorian planning schemes
- $2 million over the next two years to establish a program to engage landholders, local builders, and industry
Victorian Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, said, “We’re helping any remaining local council to fast-track updates to their flood maps and other data to ensure we have the best information on the risk of flooding.
“These flood studies will support emergency management activities, planning decisions and individual landowners living on the floodplains.”
Local councils are responsible for updating flood mapping and controls in their planning schemes to ensure they identify areas subject to potential flooding.
Councils are best placed to make these decisions, in consultation with the relevant water authority or catchment management authority.
Funding will also ensure communities and industry are at the heart of flood planning discussions at the local level.
Since 2016, the Victorian Government has funded 63 flood studies requested by local government to ensure communities have a better understanding of flood risk across Victoria.
Victorian Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, said, “We’re making sure the latest flood data is being reflected in Victorian planning schemes, to help create safer and more resilient towns across flood prone parts of our state.”
The flood planning package is in addition to the $26.7 million invested in the Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy, which aims to prepare communities and mitigate against future flood events.
