| FLYER ISSUE 1: JANUARY FLYER
2020
| READ IN BROWSER https://floods.optin.com/newsletter/awlist3776483/MzcwMTQ3NA==/fma-flyer-1-january.htm
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NEXT FMA MEETINGS: QLD CHAPTER 12 FEBRUARY | NSW/ACT CHAPTER 20 FEBRUARY
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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As Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) said, “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good”.
Whilst this current bushfire crisis has caused devastation, it seems to have generated some serious and positive consideration of climate change.
The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has announced an independent inquiry into the ongoing bushfires, promising to "leave no stone unturned".
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the inquiry would consider how climate change, human activity and other factors had contributed to the blazes.
While climate change might not be the direct cause of the bushfires, scientists have long warned that a hotter, drier climate would contribute to Australia's fires becoming more frequent and more intense.
Prior to this crisis, Australians thought climate change only meant warmer temperatures, longer summers and more days at the beach.
At least this bushfire crisis has alerted us to the dreadful effects of longer droughts leading to more frequent and more intense bushfires.
But what about floods and climate change?
State and federal guidelines for climate change clearly refer to increased rainfall intensity leading to larger and more frequent floods.
What are we doing about that?
In response to a request from our Victorian colleagues, FMA is currently running a survey to see what Councils are doing about climate change in land use planning. We hope to share any feedback information nationally.
At this stage it seems that communities west of the Great Dividing Range do not consider climate change as a threat because it’s hard for them to imagine how floods and sea level rise could affect them. To a lesser extent, some coastal Councils have undertaken sensitivity analyses for climate change in their flood studies, but this doesn’t seem to have led to many
land use planning policies and conditions of consent for future development.
Elsewhere in the world, there is a stronger belief that climate change is real.
Our close friend in Illinois, Paul Osman (“Oz”), the Statewide Floodplain Programs Chief for the Illinois Office of Water Resources, says climate change now means the Mississippi River floods every year in Grafton IL. We can read about a recent TV program examining the impacts of this on the business community. Click on the link: https://www.tvshowsace.com/2020/01/23/the-profit-floodtown-marcus-lemonis/
Let’s see where the Australian climate change debate leads to from here, as this bushfire crisis should now generate serious consideration of climate change and its effects in all communities.
ID
Ian Dinham | FMA President
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NEW EVENT DATE ANNOUNCEMENT: Queensland Chapter August Meeting
Please note to following new scheduled date for the August Meeting of the Queensland Chapter: Wednesday 5 August.
(The previously advertised date is the Royal Queensland Show Day, so you will probably all be at the Ekka!)
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CARS DRIVE THROUGH MOVING FLOOD WATER?
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In nearly every flood event we hear of motorists entering floodwaters, risking not only their own lives but those of passengers and rescue personnel.
The Queensland Chapter Workshop in Brisbane on Wednesday 12 February will hear how a team at the University of New South Wales Water Research Laboratory (UNSW WRL) has been testing how small and large cars behave when they encounter flash floods, replicating scenarios faced by many
stranded motorists, but doing so in an especially configured test tank.
The tests were a world first as previous experiments to understand the force of floodwaters relied on using vehicle miniatures, rather than actual cars. The workshop will provide an update on recent work since the lab’s flood hazard research for ARR and Handbook 7.
Discussion will be led by Grantley Smith, Principal Engineer and Manager of the WRL.
This is a special presentation you cannot afford to miss.
Details of the full Queensland Chapter Meeting are:
When: 10am Morning Tea, 10.30am Meeting start on Wednesday 12 February
Where: George Williams Hotel, 317-325 George Street, Brisbane
Note: A light morning tea and lunch will be served throughout the day.
Attendance of the Meeting is free, but please advise Dominique Jovanovic at projectservices@floods.org.au of your planned attendance (this helps greatly with catering requirements and organisation).
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WANT TO VISIT THE UNSW WATER RESEARCH LABORATORY?
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The NSW/ACT Chapter Workshop on Thursday 20 February will be a visit to the Water Research Laboratory (WRL) at Manly Vale to view physical models, project displays and field equipment.
The Laboratory is part of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of NSW Sydney, and is one of the biggest scientific and engineering facilities in Australia.
Some of its current projects are:
- Somerset Dam (upstream from Wivenhoe Dam – Brisbane River Valley)
- Townsville Harbour
- Scrivener Dam (Lake Burley Griffin) – currently under construction
- Darwin Harbour Breakwall
- Ohau (NZ) road upgrade overtopping.
For more information on WRL see: wrl.unsw.edu.au
The visit has been initiated by The Young Floodplain Managers, but everyone is welcome to attend. PLEASE NOTE RSVP IS ESSENTIAL - DETAILS BELOW.
Details of the full NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting are:
When: 10am Morning Tea, 10.30am Meeting start on Thursday 20 February
Where: Bureau of Meterology, 300 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Note: A light morning tea and lunch will be served throughout the day.
Attendance of the Meeting is free, but please advise Dominique Jovanovic at projectservices@floods.org.au of your planned attendance for the Meeting and/or workshop and if you require transport to the laboratory.
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TOOWOOMBA CONFERENCE UPDATE: ICA AS PLATINUM SPONSOR
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Did you know that the 2020 FMA National Conference in Toowoomba is only 15 weeks away?
With organisation well underway to ensure this Conference is FMA's best yet, we have the absolute pleasure of announcing that the Insurance Council of Australia has come onboard again as Platinum Sponsor.
Hosting a high quality, informative and professional event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and exhibitors. If you are interested in Sponsorship or Exhibiting in our Trade Area, please visit the Conference website at floodplainconference.com/sponsors-and-exhibitors/.
The Conference week begins with optional Pre-Conference Workshops, and this year the Workshops on offer are two full-day options:
Workshop 1: Human Behaviour in Flood
Human behaviour during flood events is one of the most challenging aspects of floodplain management to predict and to control. This means that an understanding of human behaviour and its motivators is critical for emergency planning. This workshop will discuss current research from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and Macquarie University into behavioural aspects of flooding,
such as evacuation responses, shelter in place experiences, and driving and recreating in flood waters, which remains the largest contributor to flood deaths in Australia. It will explore recent coronial inquests and their recommendations, and how they may impact on Councils and asset owners. We will investigate what influences people’s behaviour, including discussion on the roles of traditional and social media.
Workshop 2: Making Informed Decisions on Flood Risk Management Works
Decision makers in government make investment decisions on flood risk management works giving consideration to the findings of option assessments undertaken, in studies and investigations. Consistent with national guidelines (Handbook 7) options are generally examined through a multi-criteria assessment that considers a range of factors, including social, legal and
environmental aspects as well as an assessment of the benefit and cost of mitigation measures. This workshop will involve speakers from government and industry to present and interactively discuss this continuously evolving field. It will discuss what informs decisions, the tools that are available and being developed, and some of the more challenging aspects including potential information sources.
Registration for the Pre-Conference Workshops, and the Conference itself can be done securely online at the Conference website floodplainconference.com.
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TOWNSVILLE WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE
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Image courtesy of Townsville Local Disaster Management Group.
This past November, as you may know, FMA ventured to Townsville for it's second-ever regional Meeting for a day packed with incredibly illuminating information regarding the devastating 2019 February monsoon floods.
If you were unable to attend the Meeting, four key presentations from the day are now available online at floods.org.au/site/technical-information (floods.org.au -> Resources -> Technical Information). The
presentations available are:
Local Disaster Coordination Centre Operations and Tour Presentation
Wayne Preedy, Team Manager Emergency Management, and Local Disaster Coordinator, Townsville City Council, provided a tour of the Centre, explained the design and function of the facility and detailed the flood response activities which were undertaken at the Centre in the 13 days from 30 January to 11 February.
Townsville City Council Flood Response Presentation
Wesley Bailey, Leader - Water Resources (NQNT) AECOM, provided background to the flood event, and the response activities which were activated.
Townsville City Council Natural Environment Recovery Presentation
Mark Robinson, Coordinator - Environmental, Sustainability and Solar, outlined activities involved in assessing the impact of the event on the natural and cultural environments, and the resulting rehabilitation activities.
Townsville City Council Built Environment Recovery Presentation
Claudia Brassard, General Manager - Infrastructure Planning, Assets and Fleet, discussed the work of the Built Environment Taskforce in coordinating, prioritising and implementing recovery of community infrastructure (power, water, telecommunications, transport, structures etc) and Council infrastructure.
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FLOODPLAIN ADVENTURES IN LEUVEN
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Pictured (from left): Jan and Kieran on the River Dyle upstream of Leuven
Kieran McAndrew, Floodplain Coordinator at Clarence Valley Council, NSW, recently returned to Australia after a family holiday in Europe. While in Leuven, Belgium, he spent a day with Joost Dewelde and Jan Pauwels from the Division of Operational Water Management (Flood Management) at the Flemish Environment Agency
(Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij). Leuven is a university city about 30 minutes east of Brussels.
Here is Kieran’s report of his floodplain adventure in Leuven:
“Joost, Jan and I were able to discuss information like historical floods (their records dating to 1156!) and the differing roles of government in flood mitigation.
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Pictured (from left): Joost and Kieran on a recently 'daylighted' part of the River Dyle.
Their current projects in Leuven include undoing past river management techniques that have had detrimental impacts on flood mitigation and the environment. They are ‘daylighting’ rivers through urban areas that have previously been covered and built over.
Also they’re re-meandering some streams where previous generations have straightened rivers resulting in terrible environmental/flooding outcomes.
We compared maintenance challenges, one of theirs being the removing bicycles from the River Dyle. Each year they dredge over 600 bicycles from the river!
Pictured: 'Daylighting' work in progress.
I know some people may think I’m odd organising a work visit while on holidays, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a nice break from tourist sights and I learned so much.”
You can learn more about approaches to flood and water management on the River Dyle at the Flanders Environment Agency website: https://en.vmm.be/publications/the-river-dyle-in-leuven-belgium-a-blessing-and-a-curse
If you've been on an exciting flood adventure, please get in touch and let us know.
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Happy New Year from the FMA Young Floodplain Managers!
We are looking forward to a busy and exciting year ahead working with YFM’s across the country to grow our network.
We are pleased to announce that Mikayla Ward, Prawi Woods, and Catherine Walker have joined Isabelle, Duncan, Josh, and Elise on the FMA YFM Committee. The new committee members bring skills and experience that will help us implement a range of new projects this year (look out for our next update in next month’s flyer for some details of these exciting
ventures).
We are also excited to announce that we have been busy planning a YFM field trip (open to all floodplain managers of course) to be held immediately following the FMA NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting in Sydney on February 20th.
We will be heading out to the University of New South Wales’ Water Research Laboratory for a tour! A bus will be taking us out to Manly Vale and returning to the city afterwards for some cool refreshments for interested parties.
RSVP is essential, so please contact Dominique Jovanovic projectservices@floods.org.au if you would like to attend, and if you require transport.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
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Campbelltown City Council
If you are interested in promoting a vacant position with us, please contact us.
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TRAVELLING CAPS AND BEANIES
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Pictured: Mark Forest (HDR) keeping warm with his FMA Conference beanie in Fairbanks, Alaska.
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