Retired engineer says Carseldine flood plan is problematic
A Carseldine resident and retired engineer has identified what he says are major flaws in the planning for flooding and drainage with the Carseldine Urban Village project.
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A CARSELDINE resident has identified what he says are major flaws in the planning for flooding and drainage with the Carseldine Urban Village project.
Ken Hegerty, who has 43 years’ experience as a water engineer, made four submissions to Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) regarding the Stormwater Management Plan, claiming modelling of existing run-off behaviour was wrong.
However a State Government spokesperson said the plan had been endorsed by a recognised engineer and assessed by an independent expert.
Mr Hegerty said his 16-page submission to EDQ “highlighted major errors, significant omissions, that indicated that the flood study was not suitable for the purpose”.
“Being a retired water engineer and wanting the best for the community, I proposed additional investigations and a stormwater strategy that should be investigated to ensure that it works and doesn’t adversely affect the local community.
“What they’ve done, they’ve done wrong for the existing situation. They have totally modelled existing run-off behaviour on the site wrong.”
Mr Hegerty said the plan claimed there was flooding on Beams Rd in a minor event, which he said was not true.
“The total stuff up of existing modelling is exemplified by their modelling of the smallest event,” he said.
“They say water comes over Beams Rd in a one in two year event but we’ve been here since ’87 and water has come over Beams Rd only once, and that was in 2015, which was a major storm.
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“So any claimed benefits of their scheme of lowering water levels over here are totally invalid because they’ve got their starting levels wrong for existing conditions.
“Another issue with their modelling of the existing behaviour is there are two extensive pipe drainage networks that take all the water for the minor events to the creek.
“Those pipe networks were not included in the flood modelling, and that’s one of the reasons why they say water is flowing over Beams Rd, because they totally ignored the pipe system that is designed to carry the water to the creek.”
A spokesperson for the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning said the stormwater management plan was endorsed by a recognised Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland specialist and technically assessed by an independent industry expert.
“The technical assessment confirmed the stormwater management plan provided the relevant information required when considering regional flooding and overall stormwater management,” the spokesperson said.
“Assessment of future development applications will require more detailed flood investigations and water quality modelling before any future approvals and/or works.
“This additional information is required to be submitted for assessment as part of the detailed Stage 1 development proposal.
“That development application information will be publicly available on the EDQ website when the application is lodged.”
Shadow Minister for Planning Andrew Powell said concerns regarding the village were being ignored.
“Many residents didn’t want this development to happen in the first place and the last thing they want to see happen now is homes to flood because of it,” he said.
“Carseldine residents deserve an MP that will listen and stand up for them but Bart Mellish is missing in action.
“The whole point of community consultation is to hear from people like Ken and improve project plans.
“Ken has punched significant holes in the work that’s been done and the community doesn’t feel safe about the future of this project.”
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