UPDATED studies to assess the flood risk to people, private property, infrastructure, and public assets within the Towradgi Creek catchment area have been completed by Wollongong City Council.

The Towradgi Creek Floodplain Risk Management Plan was adopted at last week’s general council meeting. The plan includes the suburbs of Tarrawanna, Corrimal, East Corrimal, Towradgi and small pockets of Balgownie and Fernhill.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the adoption of the plan is an important milestone that will support appropriate flood risk management strategies — such as development controls, emergency response measures, education, and infrastructure solutions — to benefit the residents and businesses in the catchment.

“Wollongong is naturally flood-prone due to our built-up areas being sandwiched between the escarpment and the ocean. There are many of us in the city who will remember the flooding of August 1998 or experienced the flash flooding events last year. That’s why Council is working proactively to mitigate the risk of severe inundation and storm events right across the Wollongong Area,” Cr Bradbery said.

“The work we’re doing through the Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan looks ways we can reduce the impacts from severe flooding in the Towradgi Creek catchment area.

“The draft documents went on public exhibition late last year and we received 48 submissions from those who live and work in the catchment area. The majority of these were supportive of the mitigation options presented.

“Their valuable input and lived experiences fed into the final versions.”

Cr Bradbery said adopting the Towradgi Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan means Council can pursue funding opportunities from the state and federal governments to implement the priority actions.

“The associated flood data will be fed into the NSW Flood Data Portal to provide a better understanding of flood behaviour, flood risk and wiser decision-making for the catchment.”

The Towradgi Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan will be available on the website shortly. Until then, you can access them in the Monday June 26 2023 council meeting business papers.

For more information about flood risk management across Wollongong, visit Council’s Floods and Stormwater webpage.

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