A city-wide community survey found flood remains a concern for Ipswich residents, even with the current impacts of drought and fire on the region.
The Managing Future Floods survey had 190 Ipswich people from 51 suburbs contribute their views during November and December 2019.
More than 80 per cent of those surveyed had experienced a flood before, and half said they would feel concerned if another major flood was about to happen.
Seven in 10 thought a flood bigger than 1974 or 2011 was possible in Ipswich, and a similar number believed the next major flood would happen within a decade.
Infrastructure and Environment general manager Charlie Dill said with much of the city within the floodplain it was a reality of life that one day there would be another flood.
“However despite this, only about 50 per cent of those surveyed had specific flood insurance for their home, and more than half did not have an emergency plan,” he said.
The survey responses will be combined with extensive technical work to develop the Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan. This Plan will guide Council’s actions and future investment in everything from land use planning to new infrastructure, through to community awareness and waterway health.
The Plan will fulfil a key recommendation from the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry. It builds on important regional flood studies completed in collaboration with State Government and local councils. The Plan will go above and beyond the Commission’s recommendation by adopting an approach that integrates flood risk mitigation with other elements of catchment management such as water quality.
Mr Dill said the Ipswich community survey also revealed that dams, landscape restoration and detention basins were the flood mitigation options with the strongest overall support.
“The top priority was flood solutions that increase community safety. There was also a strong community support towards controlling development to make sure it’s compatible with flood risk,” he said.
Follow the Managing Future Floods project at Shapeyouripswich.com.au
