Wet weather to prime Central Queensland catchments for flooding

As parts of Central Queensland prepare for wet and potentially wild weather in the months ahead, preparations for the possibility of a flood are under way. Here’s how.

As parts of Central Queensland prepare for wet and potentially wild weather in the months ahead, preparations for the possibility of a flood are under way.

Over the next week the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting “quite unsettled” weather for Central Queensland with the possibility of showers and storms after the weekend, particularly in the Central Highlands.

BoM Meteorologist Kimba Wong said the outlook for spring was wet statewide, with above average rainfalls coming before the regular wetter summer months increasing the chance of flooding.

Ms Wong said at the moment there was a La Nina watch, with a 70 per cent chance of a La Nina forming.

“This is almost triple the chance we’re usually looking at,” she said.

“But even if we don’t quite get there, the conditions will feel quite La Nina like.”

Deputy chair of the Rockhampton local disaster management group Cr Drew Wickerson.

She said the combination of climate drivers, which included a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, were “priming” catchments for the possibility of a flood.

On Thursday workers from Rockhampton Regional Council carried out their annual flood barrier exercise, to prepare for the incoming flood season.

The practice helps council officers familiarise themselves with the rapid deployment of the barrier, which helps protect hundreds of homes from inundation during flood events.

Deputy chair of the Rockhampton local disaster management group Cr Drew Wickerson said 100m of the 400m barrier was erected during the mock-up.

“They’ve done that in a few hours so quite quickly, and the more they practice those builds and get the system and procedure down pat, the quicker we can do it when we absolutely need to do it in a hurry,” he said.

“This flood barrier will cater for up to a gauge level of 9.5m, the state government also have a similar system for around the airport.”

He said there were also flood mitigation procedures in place that residents can’t see, including special gates and valves.

“There’s storm water pipes all through the city and where we know the water will back up and flood through those drains, we putting gates or valves on those to stop the water coming up,” he said.

Rockhampton Regional Council carried out their flood barrier exercise preparing for the upcoming flood season.

“So there are a range of things we do the public may not even know, but will hopefully notice the positive impacts.”

Mr Wickerson said while council was continuing to prepare for disaster season, the community could get involved with being prepared also.

“We have the luxury here in Rockhampton, we often get a week or two’s notice of a flood coming down the river, other places don’t have that,” he said.

“If you know you’re going to get inundation in your property make sure there aren’t things in your yard that are going to float away and cause more damage, or if there’s a cyclone coming make sure things are battened down.”