Saturated: An aerial look at the flooding of Congupna in 2012.
Photo by
Ray Sizer
With the Goulburn Valley’s catchment full to the brim and the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting 15 to 25 millimetres of rain on Friday, Greater Shepparton City Council is warning residents to do all they can to prepare for possible flooding.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Water storage dams and lakes, such as Lake Eildon, are at capacity and releasing water, and that could continue for some weeks given the bureau is forecasting above average rainfall for spring and summer.
That means centres such as Shepparton and others are vulnerable to the possibility of flooding.
Low-lying areas along the Murray and Goulburn rivers, among other river and creek systems across the Goulburn Valley, are already experiencing minor flooding and authorities fear a larger flood is possible if the rains keep coming.
As a result, the council has released the following advice for residents:
Plan and Prepare
1. Know your local flood history
Greater Shepparton has a history of flooding, including in 1870, 1916, 1974, 1993 and more recently in 2010.
1974 was a Goulburn River-dominant flood
1993 was a Broken River-dominant flood
2010 was a flood that saw gauges on the Goulburn and Broken river and Seven Creeks peak at major levels
During the 2010 flood, 13 houses and 31 buildings were flooded, 620 houses were isolated and more than 60 people attended the relief and recovery centre.
Floods like this, or worse, could occur again. Even if your property is not affected by floodwater, you may be impacted indirectly by road closures, isolation and disruption to essential services, including telephones, power and sewerage.
Flooding from the rivers in Greater Shepparton usually lasts between four and seven days, depending on the rainfall. Roads and properties can also flood due to water backing up in the storm-water drainage system.
Flash flooding, caused by heavy rainfall, can also occur in low-lying areas, especially in the industrial and business areas of Mooroopna and Shepparton East and around the Doyle’s Rd-Midland Hwy roundabout. These flash floods only last a few hours, but can be dangerous and cause extensive damage.
The best thing we can do as a community is to plan and prepare. Flood guides for Greater Shepparton are located on the SES website, www.ses.vic.gov.au
Overflow: Flood waters have already spilled from the Goulburn River to inundate low-lying areas between Shepparton and Mooroopna.
Photo by
Murray Silby
