Inland Rail using aerial imaging of Condamine and McIntyre flood plains to feed into modelling

Recent rainfall and flooding of the Condamine and McIntyre rivers has provided additional data for Inland Rail’s design and flood plain modelling.

The wet end to the year has helped provide Australian Rail Track Corporation with additional data for their flood plain modelling and the design of Inland Rail in Queensland.

ARTC interim chief executive Rebecca Pickering said the rainfall and flood events was a chance to observe real-world data for their flood modelling.

“During these flood events, aerial footage has been taken of the Condamine and Macintyre flood plains,” Ms Pickering said.

“This will help ARTC’s expert hydrology teams as well as the local councils to further understand how today’s landscape, land uses and structures are influencing the movement of flood waters.

“ARTC has undertaken extensive modelling and is confident in this work.

These flood events are providing information to further validate our models against these major floods as they happen.”

Ms Pickering said ARTC’s models have closely matched the conditions at Yelarbon, Boggabilla and Goondiwindi, which will give the community added confidence in the modelling for the Inland Rail project.

“This data helps local governments make appropriate planning decisions in areas naturally prone to flood events and ARTC is happy to share the information,” she said.

ARTC’s flood modelling for Inland Rail came under fire earlier this year when in August the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee found ARTC had fallen short on its assessment of the flood heights and on its obligation to consult with the community.

The proposed route for the $1.5 billion freight link between Yelarbon at the NSW/Queensland border and Gowrie Junction near Toowoomba has been contentious, with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce confirming in September the route would proceed as planned through the Condamine flood plain.

In September this year Brisbane-based joint venture BHQ was announced as taking the lead of civil works for more than 160km of rail line, which would require about 950 workers at height of construction.