Provision of Murwillumbah CBD Drainage Study Services

⁠⁠⁠The Murwillumbah CBD has been totally inundated in major floods in 1954 and 1974. In the 1990s the levee was raised to provide around 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood immunity and has not been overtopped since. Inundation of public parks, streets and other infrastructure, businesses and ground levels of dwellings occurs behind the levee during river flood events when levee floodgates are closed, including in recent events in 2008, 2012 , 2013 and 2014. Business continuity in Murwillumbah is essential for flood recovery.

The project will provide clearer details on flood exposure and safety and development controls that will provide benefits to Social and Economic spheres for the existing and future residents, residential and commercial owners and business operators. The study will determine and identify potential risks to existing and future infrastructure. Some of the recommended modifications may have environmental benefits in terms of mitigating flood inundation behind the levee.

The project will provide a local flood study for the central business district and residential area located behind the Murwillumbah levee. The study will examine the local catchment flooding (Lavender Creek) as well as the effectiveness of trunk drainage systems and flood pump systems in order to determine design flood levels and identify potential mitigation and improvement measures. The study will also incorporate a levee overtopping analysis to determine hazard areas.

The findings of the study will inform development controls behind the levee. The project will identify areas of deficiency in the existing drainage and flood management network behind the Murwillumbah levee, in order for these to be addressed by the Floodplain Management Committee. The study will provide for a subsequent review of property measures, such as design flood levels and development controls in the study area.

Hard and soft copies of the assessment and recommendations will be provided upon adoption and completion. It is imperative that works are commenced in May/June 2016 and completed within a seven (7) month period or earlier. An indicative delivery program has been provided to better understand the anticipated roll out of the project - refer Section 8 in the document.

Documents are available from Tweed Shire Council's Engineering Division, Civic Centre, Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah - Phone 02 6670 2606.

No fee applicable for download of documents shown below. If printed documents are requested from Council then photocopying fees apply.