The Federal Government has begun critical on-ground work to deliver upgrades to Australia’s flood warning system.
The Bureau of Meteorology currently owns about one-third of the 8,000 gauges it relies on to deliver flood forecasts and warnings across Australia. Under the $236 million 10-year plan, working alongside state, territory and local governments, the Bureau of Meteorology will acquire more than 1,500 additional gauges, with approximately 1,000 located in Queensland.
Since March this year, the Bureau has worked with 64 councils in Queensland, the country’s most flood-affected state. Together, they have identified an initial program of works comprising 594 sites.
“Severe weather events, including floods, are becoming more extreme and frequent. When these events occur, communities need access to the best available information in real-time,” said Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek. “Since 2015, studies have warned that the patchwork flood gauge network would increase risk during floods and have called on the Federal Government to consolidate, upgrade and assume responsibility for ongoing maintenance of the flood network.
Work is already complete at the Kamerunga Bridge flood gauge in Cairns, which was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Jasper in 2023. Work is also underway in the Bundaberg region, with assets being replaced in the Burrum and Cherwell Rivers.
A total of 69 sites, including those in the Burdekin River, Logan and Albert Rivers, and Condamine River, will be acquired and remediated by December. By the end of the financial year, 200 flood gauges across Queensland will also be acquired and remediated.
“Flooding is the second most deadly natural hazard after heatwaves for our communities, and one of the costliest when it comes to insured losses,” said Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister. “Information is key to our mitigation and preparedness. This work will improve access to rain and river level observations, helping communities and governments target their disaster preparations. We know that our climate is changing, and Australians can expect to experience more intense and more frequent natural disasters.”
Works are expected to begin in New South Wales later this year, and consultation with state and local government agencies in the Northern Rivers region is underway. This work builds on the $15 million the Commonwealth is already investing in supporting NSW councils in installing, upgrading, and operating flood warning gauges as part of a wider system.
Several reviews, including the 2022 NSW Flood Inquiry conducted by Professor Mary O’Kane AC and Michael Fuller APM, have recommended transferring responsibility for the flood gauge network to the Bureau of Meteorology.
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