Public give short shrift to raising Lismore’s flood levee

Lismore council is set to receive recommendations on options to protect Lismore from future flooding.

Floodwater gong over the levee wall in Molesworth Street, Lismore in 2017.

PLANS to protect Lismore from flooding may have attracted a "relatively low number of submissions" during the exhibition period, but the message was clear, raising levee walls was not popular.

The Draft Floodplain Risk Management Study sought community feedback on a range of measures to control flooding, which included raising the levee wall at a number of locations.

The Floodplain Management Committee received only 60 submissions on the study, prompting the committee's Technical Working Group to recommend wider consultation in future planning stages.

 

The streets of Lismore were inundated with floodwater after the Wilson River overtopped the flood levee in 2017. Pic Nathan Edwards

 

The group felt key stakeholders, residents and businesses most likely to be impacted by flooding in the town, had not made submissions.

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Those who did make submissions, generally supported more nature-based solutions to the flooding issue rather than structural or engineering flood modification measures.

"There is a clear concern about the negative impact that some structural measures have had, and could have, on parts of the community as well as support for increased community awareness and preparedness. Along with the push for nature-based solutions, this suggests that consideration of structural measures should not proceed any further," the working group reported.

The working group however, did not support removing structural measures from the plan at this stage due to the low response rate.

It said further investigation of the options did not commit council to construction, but offered further opportunity for wider community engagement.

"The TWG propose that the recommendations of the study should remain largely unchanged but with additional community engagement."

WORK UNDERWAY: Lismore City Council mayor Isaac Smith, SEE Civil project manager Michael Williams and Cr Bill Moorhouse inspect the earthworks of the South Lismore Flood Mitigation project in 2019. Photo: Jackie Munro

South Lismore Flood Mitigation Project Update

The project received an $8.2 million grant from the NSW Government in 2018.

More than 410,000 cubic metres of material was excavated from a 58ha site, bounded by Three Chain Rd, Casino St and Caniaba St.

Earthworks and ancillary project works completed Oct 2020, under budget by $1 million.

Re-establishment of grass yet to be completed.

Excess money will be spent on two new projects - bush regeneration at the site and road repair to Caniaba St.

Due for completion in May, 2022.

The Floodplain Management Committee will meet today, Wednesday, February 10, to discuss community response to the Draft Floodplain Risk Management Study (FRMS) and the working group's recommendations.

The meeting will be held at Lismore City Council Chambers from 2pm to 4pm, for members only.

Members of the Community Reference Group are invited to attend as observers.