Council has been carrying out research about flood risks in the Newcastle LGA for many years (long before the June 2007 floods) to ensure decision making is properly informed.

Extensive data collection

For example Council has carried out extensive data collection including:

Air photos of the City so that areas of roofs, roads, trees and parks can be measured, enabling computer calculations of how much water will soak in and how much will run off the land under different severities of rain storms.  

Mapping high accuracy ground levels across the many square kilometers of flood affected areas, so that computer calculations of potential floods flowing across the floodplains (including streets and through buildings) will be confidently estimated for small to very large floods.

Accurately measuring all bridges, culverts and open Storm Water Channels and river bed depths so computer calculations confidently estimate their capacity, and predict how flood waters in excess of these capacities will flow over the land (in general following the original flood plains). 

Extensive historic flood observations and surveyed levels (including about 1,700 observed flood levels from the 8 June 2007 disastrous flood event) to confirm the accuracy of the computer flood models when they are tested against real observed floods.

The collection of surveyed floor level and building type data for the thousands of potentially flood affected properties.

Supporting studies and plans

Supporting documents include:

• PBP (1996). Lower Hunter Valley Floodplain Management Study: Assessment of Strategic Options for Community Consultation (DRAFT). Prepared for Port Stephens and Newcastle City Councils.
  
• PBP (1997). Lower Hunter Valley Floodplain Management Study: Volume A - Assessment of Strategic Options for Community Consultation Summary Report (DRAFT). Prepared for Port Stephens and Newcastle City Councils.
  
• PBP (2001). Lower Hunter Valley Floodplain Management Study: Volume B - Planning Implementation Strategy (DRAFT). Prepared for Port Stephens and Newcastle City Councils.
  
• PBP (2001). Lower Hunter Valley Floodplain Management Study: Volume B - Planning Implementation Strategy (DRAFT), Summary Report. Prepared for Port Stephens and Newcastle City Councils.
  
• PBP (2007). Wallsend Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan. Prepared for Newcastle City Council.
  
• DHI (2008). Extreme Ocean Analysis. Prepared for Newcastle City Council. 
  
• DHI (2008). Dark Creek Flood Study. Prepared for Newcastle City Council.
  
• DHI (2008). Upgrading of Lower Hunter Flood Model at Hexham. Prepared for Newcastle City Council.
  
• DHI (2008). Wallsend-Plattsburg (Ironbark Creek) Flood Study. Prepared for Newcastle City Council.
  
• BMT-WBM (2008). Throsby, Cottage and CBD Flood Study. Prepared for Newcastle City Council.
  
• Newcastle City Council (2012). Development of Newcastle City-wide Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan. A Compilation of Background Research and Investigations.

CD copies of these supporting flood studies can be obtained upon request from Council's Senior Strategist - Integrated Flood Managment - on 4974 2888.

Scientific studies

Carried out scientific studies including:

Using computer calculations for the full range of possible flood events across the LGA, and then mapped the results to show estimated flood extents, water levels, potential destructive energies (for example to wash cars or buildings away), and estimated rates of rise and durations of flooding.  There were some suburban areas where local memory had no indication that flooding was possible, but before the June 2007 floods these computer calculations predicted there was a risk of severe flooding sometime in the future. Some of those areas did in fact experience severe flooding in the June 2007 event.

Flood Policy 2004

Council adopted a  Flood Policy in 2004 (1.2Mb)

Wallsend Centre

Council adopted a Floodplain Risk Management Plan for the Wallsend Commercial Centre. Find out more...

Concept planning

In April 2009 the strategic report Newcastle Flood Planning - STAGE 1- Concept Planning was developed by Council.

This report was adopted by the Newcastle Floodplain Risk Management Committee as the basis for completing a City Wide Floodplain Risk Management Plan for the Newcastle Local Government Area.

It sets out the fundamental methodology and an innovative seven step process that enabled prioritising issues and geographic areas to be applied for the development of a City Wide Floodplain Risk Management Plan for Newcastle.

Download the full  Newcastle Flood Planning - STAGE 1- Concept Planning report (5.14 Mb)

Download the  report synopsis (573kb pdf)

Download the compendiums of figures:

•  Compendium 1 (1.48Mb pdf)
•  Compendium 2 (916kb pdf)
•  Compendium 3 (878kb pdf)
•  Compendium 4 (878kb pdf)
•  Compendium 5 (965kb pdf)

Related web sites

1. NSW Department of Environment Climate Change and Water Floodplain Management
2. NSW State Emergency Services
3. Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
4. NSW Department of Planning
5. Australian Government Emergency Management

Acknowledgements

Council's flood studies have been made possible through substantial Grant assistance over many years from the NSW Government Floodplain Management Program.  

Data collection following the 2007 floods was made possible through a Grant from the NSW Natural Disaster Relief Fund through the State Emergency Service.

Many specialist consultants have been engaged by Council through the NSW Government Floodplain Management Program to assist with its Floodplain Management Planning including (in alphabetical order):

• BMT WBM Pty Ltd (was WBM P/L)
• Cardno Lawson Treloar (was Lawson and Treloar P/L)
• DHI Pty Ltd
• Molino Stewart P/L
• QASCO P/L
• TUNRA
• Worley Parsons P/L (was Patterson Britton P/L )

Council has also received technical assistance from the NSW Government (currently through the Office of Environment and Heritage).