Now that the flood peak has come and gone, Horsham Rural City Council has been busy ensuring the city’s drainage network can cope with potential rain events over the coming weeks – and residents are being asked to do the same for their stormwater drains.
In the lead-up to the flood peak, many people placed sandbags over drainage pits. They did so to prevent floodwater from rising from the river and entering their streets.
Council staff employed similar measures to protect stormwater wetlands, with pits connecting the river to retention pools such as the Wotonga Basin shut off to avoid backwash.
But with the river receding, now is the time to clear the stormwater drains and the drainage network in preparation for predicted rainfall.
Sandbags left in streets should be removed as soon as possible to avoid flash flooding.
While the Wotonga Basin is the largest stormwater reserve, HRCC manages stormwater connections at Hamilton and Baillie Streets, Peppertree Lane, and Bennett Road.
Flows are controlled using large slides that block water movement.
The urban infrastructure team has now re-opened all slides so that stormwater can again discharge into the river.
This mitigates the risk of flooding caused by sudden deluges.
HRCC also manages the water levels at the Horsham Weir, and the boards were removed well before the flood.
The stormwater collected in Horsham irrigates parks and reserves such as City Oval, Sawyer Park, and the Botanical Gardens.
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