Flood is a reality of life in Ipswich. We know that flooding will happen again and is a natural part of the lifecycle of a river system. When it does happen, we want a city that is informed, ready and resilient.
The Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan (IICP) is part of our ongoing commitment to understanding and preparing for floods. It is the most detailed and comprehensive study ever undertaken in our city and goes above and beyond recommendations from the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry.
The IICP takes a holistic approach, recognising that the most effective way of building flood resilience is to integrate the full spectrum of catchment planning.
It is a view that is shared by the community. Throughout the process, the Managing Future Floods community engagement has ensured the people of Ipswich have been involved in the city’s plan.
The IICP is a non-statutory integrated floodplain management document that provides a range of recommendations and actions for council to consider.
It aims to achieve effective mitigation of current and future flood risk, build community flood resilience and drive reduction of flood risk to people and property while ensuring the natural functions of the floodplain are preserved, water quality is improved and ecological diversity increased within the catchment.
Using the data and outputs from the Brisbane River Catchment Flood Studies, Brisbane River Strategic Floodplain Management Plan, Ipswich River Flood Studies (which includes the Brisbane and Bremer River systems) and the individual flood studies for the local creek catchments, a full understanding of the flood behaviour has been developed.
The IICP has assessed and characterised the nature of flood risk across the City of Ipswich and how to best manage the risk. It has been developed as two documents:
1. Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan – Strategy and Action Plan
2. Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan – Technical Evidence Report (TER).
This approach has informed six objectives for integrated catchment and flood risk management. When implemented, these will support the delivery of the IICP vision.
- Current and future flood risk: Define and reduce flood risk
- Physical mitigation: Achieve sustainable flood mitigation through physical intervention
- Land use planning: Plan for development outcomes that are risk-informed
- Property specific actions: Promote flood-resilient built form
- Community awareness and resilience: Enable our community to anticipate, respond and adapt to floods and flooding
- Emergency management: Deliver emergency response and recovery decisions that are intelligence based
View and/or download the IICP Strategy and Action Plan (PDF, 9.7 MB)
View and/or download the IICP Technical Evidence Report (PDF, 275.4MB)