CHANNELS and reservoirs in Yarriambiack Shire could be removed as part of the Dunmunkle Creek Flood Investigation.
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The study aims to improve flood planning, preparation and response.
A community-based project steering committee had a series of meetings this week to outline investigation findings and options for reducing future flood effects.
Wimmera Catchment Authority flood officer Paul Fennell said the meetings provided an important opportunity for people living in the investigation area to hear recommendations and ask questions.
“More than two years of work has gone into this investigation, including a real flood in September where we got to test preliminary flood modelling,” he said.
“As a result we were able to reduce the likely impact of this flood in the town of Rupanyup, and see what we can improve for future floods.
“The community steering committee who oversaw the project has been invaluable in providing a really good understanding of flood impacts, and working with GWMWater and the three councils means we have covered a lot of potential issues.”
The investigation covered an area 20 kilometres wide and 80 kilometres long from Glenorchy in the south to Watchem in the north.
“The area and scope of the investigation is quite large, so there has been a lot to cover,” Mr Fennell said.
Yarriambiack Shire infrastructure and planning director James Magee said a list of recommendations had been drawn up as a result of the study.
“Some of the key recommendations is the removal of redundant GWMWater reservoir at Rupanyup,” he said.
“Once they are removed, the flood risk at Rupanyup will be almost zero, but there was one reservoir built on each side of the creek, leaving a very narrow creek for water to pass through.”
Mr Magee said channels would also be removed between Rupanyup and Boolite.
“We will then look at how the money for this work is source and whether any final recommendations are needed” he said.