The Queensland Government’s commitment to share the cost of the ongoing operation, maintenance and asset replacement of the state’s rain and river gauge network, if the Commonwealth invests to the upgrade the network, is a vital first step in ensuring the safety of local communities.
Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) CEO Alison Smith thanked Deputy Premier Steven Miles for his commitment this week.
Ms Smith said the LGAQ had also been working with the Federal Government and the Federal Opposition to secure a commitment to ensure the upgrade can go ahead.
“With the nation’s most significant recorded flood damage, and the highest flood risk, it should be reassuring that Queensland has the largest flood warning infrastructure network in the country,” Ms Smith said.
“However, too many of the early flood warning network’s 3,000 gauges are not fit-for-purpose, with further gauges past their use-by date and no longer reliable.”
The LGAQ last year collaborated with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority on an extensive scoping study to improve the reliability of the flood warning system.
It identified and recommended options for the design, performance, maintenance, ownership, governance and funding for a fit-for-purpose Queensland flood warning network.
Ms Smith said the scoping study highlighted how far short of appropriate today’s network is.
“The current state of the network is alarming, and, on top of up much-needed upgrades, the scoping study proposed 89 extra river height stations and a further 364 rainfall stations where the risk of flooding is most acute,” Ms Smith said.
“Gaps in this network mean Queensland communities are not getting accurate, vital information as swiftly as they should.
“The network significantly relies on manual rain gauge measurement and recording and, as current weather events have demonstrated, people are unable to wade out into flood waters to manually take rain gauge readings to obtain critical information due to health and safety risks.
“This is the case across the state during extreme weather events.
“The network also requires a regular, manual maintenance program to ensure any damage caused to equipment during weather events is identified as early as possible and addressed.
“The Bureau of Meteorology is doing the best it can with the equipment it has to hand.
“Closing the gaps in this network will help protect property from rising flood waters and, above all, save lives.
“Every community in Queensland contributes to the national economy so every Queensland community deserves to be safe and liveable.
“Bringing the rain and river gauge network up to date, and securing its long-term operation and maintenance, is absolutely fundamental to that.”
The LGAQ included a request for the Federal Government to address the critical upgrades to the rain gauge network in a 50/50 split with the State Government, in its submission to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg ahead of the March 29 Federal Budget.
Ms Smith said the Association has also called on Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Minister Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie to support the critical rain gauge upgrades, writing again to the Senator this month in the wake of the Queensland flooding disaster.
Flooding events are well and truly Queensland’s most prevalent natural disaster, accounting for 66 per cent of the Queensland total economic cost, with cyclones a distant second at 25 per cent, ahead of hail damage and storms.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Vogler, External Relations Director
Local Government Association of Queensland