North Wagga Submission for BMT Group Peer Review

More documents

Recommendations

Info

NORTH WAGGA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION MARCH 2021 | Fi ZiffThe Low Flood Island ArgumentAs if to make a weak argument about complacency amongst North Wagga Residents more watertight,WMAwater states that the risk to life is further exacerbated by the fact that North Wagga becomes a lowflood island. On the face of it, this does sound extremely dangerous. However, the report overlooks acritical factor - North Wagga becomes an island at very early stages in the flood event, at a 1 in 10-yearlevel and this is why Residents are so evacuation compliant. Residents are acutely aware that if they don’tevacuate on time, they can be isolated for days without power, water etc. It has been this way since the‘74 flood. Residents were well and truly out by the time the levee was breached in 2012, despite the factthat they hadn’t flooded for 19 years and had only 5 hours’ notice. Why? Because they know it gets cut offearly. It is in fact the perfect safety mechanism. With a 1 in 100 levee, Residents would be only too happyto evacuate early to avoid being cut off, with a sense of relief knowing that for events up to a 1 in 100-yearflood, they will be returning to undamaged homes.The fact that Central/CBD does not become a flood island and has several exit routes would in our viewonly add to the complacency of an already flood adverse community and to the risk of life. To increaseprotection for this community, is putting their lives in serious danger. Fortunately, when the ‘big one’ hitsWagga, North Wagga residents will have been well and truly evacuated in the early stages, and the SES canfocus on convincing Central/CBD occupants to drop everything and run. The fact that North Waggabecomes a low flood island is in fact a critical factor in the SES’s capacity to mobilise and keep as manyresidents in Central/CBD as safe as possible.Notwithstanding the above, the problem that a flood island poses can be easily remedied with a bridge/boxculvert in Mill Street allowing egress to the North East; a small railway station at the railway viaduct inNorth Wagga near Byrnes Road, which would allow any stranded passengers to be collected by train, amethod utilised by the Police during the 1974 flood; or a bridge between Parken Pregan Bridge and thenew Wiradjuri Bridge allowing provision for escape into Wagga Wagga CBD. These are feasible options,the costs of which far outweigh the Annual Average damage bill for flooding and the financial and socialcosts incurred by residents.(iii) A 1 in 100 levee in North Wagga is not aesthetically pleasingIf Council had brought this argument to the residents, a majority would have advised them that firstly, itonly effects a handful of residents. And secondly, a peaceful flood free life (for as long as possible betweenfloods) is far more beneficial than maintaining the streetscape. Further, the North Wagga levee will be nomore or less aesthetically unpleasing than the Main City Levee and it would be safe to say that a handfulof objectors would certainly not justify the decision to not upgrade the Main City Levee.Our representative Dr Jenny Woods advised the Floodplain Committee that the 1 in 100 levee would looklike a “Knight in Shining Armor” to residents. She agreed that one or two residents would perhaps worryabout the height of the levee, but most residents, even those who live directly opposite the levee (of whichshe is one and so is the author), would welcome the extra protection and consider the loss of street appealto be a worthwhile trade-off to having their homes destroyed regularly by flood.Page 18 of 25
NORTH WAGGA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION MARCH 2021 | Fi ZiffResidents also don’t believe Council are in a position to comment on this matter without consultation.Ironically, the argument was not applied when the 1 in 100 Main City Levee was extended in front of twentyodd homes in Wiradjuri. Why? Because it was absolutely critical for it to be located there if adequateprotection was to be afforded to the Central/CBD. Loss of street appeal was justified in this case to preventvast economic loss in the business sector.(iv) A 1 in 100 levee may have high capital costs and constructiondifficulties.WMAwater argues that a 1 in 100 levee in North Wagga may impact private and public land and it mayneed to be completely replaced, impacting construction practicality and cost estimates. WMAwater doesnot seem to have any idea what challenges exist and are therefore not in a position to quantify them. Andyet it is used as an argument against adequate protection adding to the negative score given to TechnicalFeasibility, namely -3 and -2 in the Matrix, indicating major and moderate issues, respectively.As it happens, a portion of the levee currently sits on private land without easements. It is understood thatthe majority, if not all these owners are very keen to secure a higher levee and so the argument aboutprivate land issues is baseless. Also, it is a common Council activity to secure easements when it is in thepublic’s best interest to do so. Under normal circumstances, the protection of a village from catastrophicflooding would be considered significant reason to secure the necessary easements.(v) Development behind the levee in North Wagga will increase if protectedby a 1 in 100 levee.WMAwater suggests that North Wagga should not be protected with a 1 in 100 levee because thesubsequent easing of development restrictions would lead to an influx of development behind the levee.This is a weak argument which does not justify the destruction of 174 properties in a flood event slightlyhigher than a 1 in 20-year flood. Regardless, had Council discussed this issue with North Wagga residentstheir concerns would have been immediately allayed because North Wagga is a village where people valuecommunity and connection to place, over progress and development.This very matter is discussed in our representative Dr Jenny Woods’ Thesis for the Degree of a Doctor ofPhilosophy entitled “Experiences of community spirit in flood recovery: Exploring the opportunities forcommunity development”. While on the Committee, Dr Woods attempted to convince committeemembers that there is little risk of over development in North Wagga, as her research reveals that theresidents thrive in the current environment, featuring large parcels of land, on which spacious gardens andvegetables are cultivated, animals raised and social connections enhanced. It is a village in which Residentsplace great importance on the space they have enjoyed for generations and would therefore be an issuePage 19 of 25
Page 1 and 2: NORTH WAGGA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIO
Page 17: NORTH WAGGA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIO
Page 25: NORTH WAGGA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIO

North Wagga Submission for BMT Group Peer Review

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?