Fears low-lying coastal land in Adelaide’s north western suburbs will be under water by 2050
ENORMOUS swathes of low-lying coastal land in Adelaide’s north western suburbs will be under water by 2050, a new Federal Government resource shows. SEE THE MAP
PARCELS of low-lying coastal land in Adelaide’s north western suburbs are predicted to be underwater by 2050, new data shows.
Tennyson, West Lakes, Port Adelaide, the Gillman land are most at risk as a result of a climate change spike, according to projections from CoastAdapt — a Federal Government monitoring agency.
Using data from Geoscience Australia to map areas across Adelaide’s coast that are at risk of sea-level rise, the data shows land in the Port Adelaide Enfield council and Salisbury council areas most at risk of flooding.
The inundation is based on a high sea level rise scenario of 0.24m relevant to 2050 — based on a high greenhouse gas concentration trajectory.
The region would be affected by an inundation level of 1.8m above mean sea level, posing a risk of erosion and flooding to existing houses along waterways, light industrial areas, and new developments.
As well as serious implications for property owners, the flooding would have a devastating effect on state and local government infrastructure, planning, insurers.
Researchers also recommend beachside retirement homes and disability accommodation should be in locations with minimum vulnerability to coastal hazards, and the rebuilding of damaged structures in areas at risk should be limited or banned after extreme events like the October storms.
CoastAdapt researchers have used a “bucket fill approach” to communicate the risk of sea-level rise, and have produced several recommendations for planning-based adaptation options. Under an “avoidance response”, it is recommended that new developments are not permitted in areas likely to be affected by climate change unless they meet planning controls which could include raising development levels to reduce the risk of flood, and constructing more resilient buildings.
Currently, state planning laws established by the Coast Protection Board in 1991 require development which could not reasonably be protected against sea-level rise beyond 0.3m in 2050.
Planning and environment lawyer Mark Baker-Jones said the biggest dangers for local and the state government was not knowing their legal risks, and poor development decisions due to a lack of resources.
“It’s very risky for local government to approve developments where there’s already an acknowledgment ... that development in that area should not proceed,” he said.
Insurance companies needed to know that assets would be protected, and Mr Baker-Jones said they were not willing to insure properties on land that was prone to flooding.
All state government regions in SA have committed to developing an adaptation plan, which includes local knowledge and environmental impacts of the region, by the end of 2016.
Eight of 11 region plans have been completed, and the final three are due in December.
In a statement, an Environment Department spokeswoman said the plans were an integral part of SA’s adaptation framework, adding: “The next step will be to develop a statewide whole of government adaptation action plan to help implement the regional plans.”
Port Adelaide Enfield environment planner Verity Sanders has helped prepare the AdaptWest plan alongside Charles Sturt and West Torrens councils.
She said climate stressors in the region included increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, and the longer-term issue of sea-level rise.
“Things like sea-level rise which is beginning and monitoring (that) the state and the Commonwealth are doing is showing it is already occurring at different levels around Australia,” she said.