RESIDENTS would still have the experience of the 2012 floods at Lockhart etched in their minds.
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To protect the township from future flooding events a major project to the tune of $500,000 is taking shape and is set to be complete by May this year.
In addition to the 2012 event there was also significant flooding in 2010.
Lockhart Shire Council general manager Peter Veneris took the Eastern Riverina Chronicle on a tour of the works and said the town was impacted by flooding from Brookong Creek as well as the overland flow from catchments to the east of the town.
It was the 2010 and 2012 flooding events which prompted the shire to initiate the establishment of a Floodplain Risk Management Plan in July 2014.
“A Lockhart flood study committee was established to have input into the plan with representatives from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Council and the community,” he said.
Stage one of these works has commenced at the northern end of the town at Government Dam.
“The current works involve the construction of a formal levee to protect properties to the south from Brookong Creek flooding,” he said.
LEVEE SPECIFICATIONS:
- The levee bank will be 1050 metres in length
- The height will be 500mm above the 100 year ARI flood level
- Completion of the works is expected in May this year
Following a formal tender process the contract to construct the levee bank was awarded to Scott Newbery Earthmoving Pty Ltd.
Lockhart Shire Council mayor Rodger Schirmer said he hoped the works, once completed, would give some comfort and peace of mind to the residents of the town.
He said the aim in the first stage of flood mitigation plans was to help safeguard against further major flooding.
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Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
