Flood plan adoption recommended

Gosford Council's floodplain risk management committee has recommended council adopt the Fraser Rd-Mudflat Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan.

Council's flooding and drainage planning officer Mr Gary Poll presented an update on the Killcare site to council's floodplain risk management committee on June 19.

Mr Poll reported to the committee that three submissions had been received, following the plan being placed on public exhibition from April 18, to May 19.

He said the submissions raised issues involving deepening the creek and making it tidal, more houses being affected by flooding than the report indicated and the affects planning and development controls proposed will have on property values.

Hardy's Bay Residents Group committee member Mr Graeme Smith raised concerns that the plan included no definite commitment to widen and deepen Mudflat Creek.

The committee report stated that committee chairman Cr Chris Holstein advised Mr Smith, along with any community group with similar concerns, to attend the relevant council meeting to raise their concerns with council.

The report also stated that Department of Environment and Climate Change representative and committee member Mr Greg Bernard stressed that the plan was a risk management process.

Council and the State Government were "not trying to stop all creeks flooding, which would be impossible, but rather reduce the impact on people and property when creeks do inevitably flood", he was reported as saying.

The committee recommended to council that the actions outlined in the management plan be implemented and the issue of addressing storm water runoff entering the system along Fraser and Noble Rds, Killcare, be considered as a high priority.

The committee also recommended that council seek funding assistance to proceed with the plan.

The committee advised council to review and update the Section 149 flood encoding of properties initially identified as being affected by the Mudflat Creek flood studies where required.

The issue of siltation in the Mudflat Creek delta was referred to the coast and estuaries management committee for further consideration in the Brisbane Water Estuary Management Study.

Council agenda FM.002, 22 Jul 2008