Queensland Reconstruction Authority report notes gap in flood warnings concerning creeks

Creek systems subject to flash flooding are not covered by a formal Bureau of Meteorology flood warning service, a report has highlighted. It comes as none of the $741m fund for buybacks and future-proofing flood-affected homes has been spent.

Authorities need to better understand the state’s creek systems and consider improving forecasts and warnings following southern Queensland’s devastating floods earlier this year.

A new report has found there is a “gap in knowledge” regarding catchment flooding, with State Recovery Co-ordinator Major-General Jake Ellwood revealing communities believed there could have been more warning.

It comes as none of the $741m in funding for buybacks and future-proofing flood affected homes has been spent.

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) report, released on Monday, looks at how the government can tackle recovery and resilience in coming years.

It noted that creek systems were regularly subject to flash flooding.

State Recovery Co-ordinator Major-General Jake Ellwood. Picture: NCA NewsWire/John Gass

“Due to the limited warning time available, many of Queensland’s creek systems are not currently covered by a formal Bureau of Meteorology flood warning service,” the report read.

It found that to effectively manage creek flooding, authorities must consider improving forecasts and warnings and look at the “appropriate combination” of both structural and non-structural measures.

Major-General Ellwood said after visiting affected communities, it was clear to him that “there was a feeling that there could have been more warning”.

“In some areas, they felt there were gauges required, in other areas they felt that the gauges may be older,” he said.

“And the thing is we have an opportunity now I think with technology to actually improve what we have, to network it so that we get a better picture. But there’s also a lot of great work going on in terms of flood mapping that I think is very important so that people understand their risk and making sure that is available to everyone.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was important to “put as many measures in as possible”.

A Queensland Reconstruction Authority report says creek systems in the state’s south were regularly subject to flash flooding. Picture: Richard Walker

Major-General Ellwood said the common thread across impacted communities was the toll it had taken on mental health.

Meanwhile, QRA chief executive officer Brendan Moon said authorities needed to come to an agreement with homeowners about the value of a property before it could be bought back.

More than 4200 people have registered their interest in accessing the $741m Resilient Homes Fund – including 443 people interested in a buyback.

Mr Moon said authorities understood there was “a tension between getting money out the door as quickly as possible but also supporting people come to really big decisions”.

The report also recommended a review of existing zoned land so that future dwellings couldn’t be built where a flood-affected home had been previously bought back.

It was last week revealed the floods had racked up a $7.7bn bill.

Queensland’s Inspector-General Emergency Management is still looking at the state’s response to the floods, with a report due to be handed to Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan at the end of this month.