Historical flood mapping now available for Ipswich residents
09 May 2023
The extent of the February 2022 flood is now available to be viewed on Ipswich City Council’s website in a newly-updated historical flood mapping tool.
Flood information previously available to the public has for years been limited to historical property scale flood mapping reports – showing the 1974 and 2011 estimated flood extents and indicative levels – and the 2006 Planning Scheme flood overlay.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the council now had a map-based tool that can be used to visualise historic flood events, as well as provide individual property data.
“This new, user-friendly tool will allow residents to look over the entire council area and choose to see the estimated flood levels for not just the 1974 and 2011 floods, and for the first time publicly provides the estimated 2022 flood levels,” Mayor Harding said.
“This update does not change the flood lines that we use for planning purposes as identified in the Ipswich Planning Scheme – it is simply a helpful tool to give residents an indication of the extent of the city’s three major historical flooding events.
“The February 2022 flood peak of 16.7m, while causing significant damage, was well below both the 1974 peak of 20.7m, and 2011 flood peak of 19.4 metres at the David Trumpy Bridge.
“Council is committed not just to effective flood and disaster management, but also to ensuring residents have the latest information and advice to help them plan and prepare for future events.
“This is also a critically important source for people being aware of the history of flooding in our city, especially to help inform their decisions in buying, selling or moving.
“Our draft new Planning Scheme, Ipswich Plan 2024, set to go out to public consultation shortly, will contain the most up-to-date flood mapping of our flood modelling updates, providing the best available information to guide future development in our city.”
Flood mapping for the February 2022 extent in some rural parts of the Ipswich local government area is limited due to data availability.
The flood mapping tool may be updated following future major flood events.
Growth, Infrastructure and Waste Committee Deputy Chair Councillor Paul Tully said the newly updated council mapping website provided extensive flood information to residents.
“Previously, council’s flood mapping tools only generated individual documentation for properties, or major flood information for the 2011 and 1974 floods,” Cr Tully said.
“This new tool modernises council’s flood mapping by allowing residents to pan and zoom across the entire city and apply the three major floods as overlays, demonstrating Ipswich’s recent major flood history.”
Following the February 2022 flood, council resolved to investigate the city’s response to the floods.
An independent consultation report, the Ipswich Flood Review, found council had the necessary resources and structures in place to effectively manage disasters, praised response and recovery efforts, and made 47 recommendations for further improvements.
The review included community participation through listening tour sessions, providing invaluable feedback including a desire from residents for more up-to-date and modern flood mapping.
The new historical flood mapping tool is available here: https://maps.ipswich.qld.gov.au/weave/HistoricalFloodMap.html