Wivenhoe Dam mitigation plan may allow flooding six bridges in SEQ

Original story by Emilie Gramenz, ABC News

A new flood plan for Brisbane may allow six bridges in south-east Queensland to be flooded by faster releases of water from Wivenhoe Dam during major rain events.

The plan includes the proposal to release millions of litres of water earlier from the dam, north-west of Brisbane.

Under the proposal, bridges at Mt Crosby weir, Colleges Crossing and Savages Crossing, as well as the Burton, Kholo and Twin bridges, west of Brisbane, would be allowed to flood faster and more often as millions of litres of water was released from Wivenhoe Dam.

Previously, dam operators had to consider the six bridges before releasing water from Wivenhoe.

Queensland Water Minister Mark McArdle says the move could prevent catastrophic flood events like the one in 2011.

“The bridges that normally go out will go out earlier and more frequent,” he said.

“The trade-off is from that better flood mitigation and maybe hundreds of thousands of buildings saved in the Brisbane region by doing so.

“We understand quite clearly the concern people will have, but at the other end of the spectrum we need to protect property and protect lives as well, and the trade-off here we believe is worthwhile looking at.”

Premier Campbell Newman says the plan will prevent heartbreak.

Mr Newman says the Government is determined to better manage future floods

“This strategy is designed to avoid a mass release of water as occurred during the 2011 flood event, to save businesses and homes from a repeat of the heartbreak,” he said.

South-east Queensland councils have cautiously welcomed the plan.

The Ipswich City Council is calling on the State Government to allocate funds to flood-proof Colleges Crossing bridge.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale says many of the bridges, including Colleges Crossing, need urgent attention.

“It’s too low, it needs to be raised,” he said.

“This is a good start – at least we know what we’re going to do – now let’s fix the bridge.

“They’ve got to start lifting the height of it, that way we’re not dependent on Colleges Crossing and it won’t inconvenience people.”

The Somerset Regional Council has welcomed the plan even though it will flood several bridges.

Somerset Mayor Graeme Lehmann says the Council will not be pushing for compensation if the plan is enacted.

“We could always say that we want those bridges lifted above the flood level but the cost of doing that would be absolutely astronomical,” he said.

“I think people understand – nobody wants to see houses and businesses flooded – an early release of the dam will help.”

Councillor Lehmann says flooding the bridges is a necessary inconvenience.

“When those bridges are going to get taken out, have a contingency plan for the people who live on the other side of those bridges,” he said.

Mr McArdle says flood mitigation funds may be made available in the future.

“We are certainly looking at what we can in regard to those bridges,” he said.

The State Government’s flood plan is now open to public comment.