Draft addendum to Murwillumbah CBD Levee and Drainage Study

Contributions to this public exhibition have closed.

The draft addendum to the Murwillumbah CBD Levee and Drainage Study represents a significant step forward in mitigating the impact of flooding on our town. By rallying together to endorse and promote this study, we can contribute to a more resilient and flood-resilient future for Murwillumbah.

The original Murwillumbah CBD Levee and Drainage Study of 2018 laid the foundation for understanding and addressing our town's flood risk. In response to evolving challenges, recent stormwater system improvements and the lessons learned from the 2022 flood event, the addendum study was initiated.

This comprehensive review re-evaluates the effectiveness of pump station upgrades, focusing on key areas such as Lavender Creek, Wharf Street, King Street and East Murwillumbah.

Through the National Emergency Management Agency's (NEMA) Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program, funding has been secured for 'tranche 1' projects, including several pump station upgrades in Murwillumbah. This addendum study evaluates and recommends a series of flood pump station upgrades for Murwillumbah and once adopted, will guide the implementation of these projects.

Key improvements

While the original study garnered overwhelming support for upgraded pump systems, the draft study builds upon this foundation. We anticipate even greater backing following the recent flood events, strengthening our collective commitment to a more flood-resilient town.

The draft study presents a unique opportunity for us to shape the future of Murwillumbah. Its recommendations include significant capacity upgrades for key pump stations, offering increased protection against flooding events.

Furthermore, this study has factored in climate change scenarios, ensuring that our preparations are aligned with the challenges of the future.

During the February/March 2022 flood, significant flooding was experienced across the Murwillumbah CBD. This caused damage to residential and commercial properties located behind the levee system. The significant impacts of the 2022 flood across the CBD prompted Council to revisit and expand upon the 2018 study to evaluate additional pump upgrade options. This included:

• collection and review of new datasets
• updates of the hydraulic model to reflect recent stormwater upgrades
• validation of the hydrologic and hydraulic models to February/March 2022 flood data
• evaluation of additional pump upgrade scenarios for the Murwillumbah CBD and East Murwillumbah.

Pump upgrade options

A total of 10 pump upgrade options were investigated that focussed on 4 locations:

• Lavender Creek
• Wharf Street
• King Street
• East Murwillumbah.

Each option was evaluated according to:

• how efficient the option was in reducing design flood levels across the CBD and East Murwillumbah
• how it performed from an economic standpoint (i.e. implementation costs versus reductions in flood damage costs)
• how effective each option was at drawing down flood levels (i.e. reducing the total duration of inundation).

Based on the outcomes of the assessment, the following pump upgrade options are considered to provide the best overall performance and are recommended for implementation:

• Lavender Creek: LC2
• Wharf Street: WS4

If full funding for the above options cannot be secured, the following options could be explored as a less capital-intensive pump upgrade option:

• Lavender Creek: LC1
• Wharf Street: WS2

The following options also afforded notable flood benefits and could be pursued if funding permits:

• King Street: KS1
• East Murwillumbah: EM1

Have your say

Your voice matters and your support can make a tangible difference. Your feedback and involvement are essential to shaping the future of Murwillumbah.

Contributions to the draft addendum to the Murwillumbah CBD Levee and Drainage Study closed on Wednesday 20 September 2023.