With recent flooding across all states in Australia we get asked these questions a lot! Do I live in a flood zone? What is my flood risk, low moderate or high? Can I build in a flood zone?

 

The answers to these questions can be quite complicated in some cases. So where to start?

 

First of all as a simple fact, if you live close to a creek, river or a storm water drain, you may be at risk from floods. However in some cases you may be away from a creek or a water drain and still be living in a flood zone that you may not be aware of! This type of flooding is usually classified as overland flooding that impacts the low lying areas of the floodplain. Overland flooding is also referred as flash flooding which occurs quickly and for short durations (within 6 hours of rain falling).

 

The best place to start your flood risk research would be your Local Council. Councils undertake LGA (Local Government Area) wide flood studies which are comprehensive technical investigations to define flood behaviour including flood extent, level and velocity of floodwaters for a full range of flood magnitudes.

 

In New South Wales;

• You can obtain a section 10.7 certificate which will state if the property/land is subject to flood related development controls. A combined Section 10.7(2) and (5) certificate generally costs less than $200. It is usually included in the sale contract if you are buying a property.

• If the property is flood affected (as shown in the Section 10.7) then you can request a flood information certificate which will provide further detail on flood affectation such as the flood levels, depths, extents and flood hazard. The fee for this service varies greatly between Councils depending on the level of detail. Commercial sites or multiple lots may have more significant costs.

• In some cases Council websites/mapping portals may contain limited flood information that are publicly available. You can also check NSW ePlanning Portal for Flood Planning Maps (limited information and not all LGAs are included).

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In Queensland;

• The flood check Queensland website gives access to a wide range of flood information and the portal can be accessed for free. It generally provides a range of information or the name of the flood study that is available for the area.

• Brisbane City Council also provides FloodWise Property Reports through their website, which is free of charge and provides a great level of detail in most cases. 

 

In other states and territories, the above search methods are still generally acceptable and Local Councils are the best source of information.

 

What if there is no information available from local authorities?

 

There are a significant number of properties in Australia that are subject to significant flood risks however they are not yet fully identified by local authorities. 

In this case the documents obtained from the local authorities such as the section 10.7 certificate may refer the flood information is "UNKNOWN". In some cases the unknown information may be limited to a certain flood event such as the PMF (Probable Maximum Flood) or it may have no information on flood affectation. If you come across this issue, you will require further research and site specific flood risk assessments.

 

 

At Flood Protect we are able to assist you with the following:

• Obtain relevant certificates and flood information from local authorities on your behalf

• Conduct a site specific assessment to determine the site's flood risk (even if there is no information available from local authorities)

• Help you understand flood risk and its impacts on building and development (if a site is impacted by flooding, you will have to comply with strict regulations and not be able to develop in some severe cases)

• Fast track your process (1-2 business days where possible) by undertaking a site specific flood assessment