SMAG chair, Peter Seeliger addressed the council in a public forum at last week’s meeting telling councillors he represented 1,100 residents in Mulwala who believed there were serious inconsistencies in the flood study and questioned the accuracy of flood mapping.
Mr Seeliger said the scenario presented by the study was more extreme than reality with impacts to planning overlays, development controls, insurance outcomes, and community confidence.
“Insurance has already had a disastrous effect on Mulwala and the surrounding areas,” he said.
“We deserve a flood study based on accurate, defensible, historically verified information, not modelling built on incomplete and inconsistent assumptions.
“If the Flood Study acknowledges the Yarrawonga Weir can pass 445,000ML/day, why did they not model that capacity, and why did they not model the real historical peak of 182,000ML/day?
“We don’t believe the data is correct; why use modelled figures when there is actual data to show dam releases?”
Federation Council general manager, Adrian Butler told Mr Seeliger it wasn’t possible to not have assumptions and models.
“You can’t always rely on facts and actual flows when you are taking things that happened over 100 years ago and run them through new computer systems that show what the land is like now,” Mr Butler said.
He acknowledged the size and significance of the issue but said it was a matter of where the council was now in the journey and how they could work forward.
Cr David Harrison said he made “no apology for continually challenging the report”.
“That’s how I’m gaining confidence, and hopefully that’s how, one day, the community of Mulwala will gain confidence in the report and the process,” he said.
Cr Harrison acknowledged the complex hydrology but said with every question and challenge he’d put up, the report had so far stood up to.
Mulwala-based councillor, Andrew Kennedy said it was important to keep things going or the town would come to a grinding halt.
“I put the blame squarely with insurance companies … it’s all about litigation these days,” Cr Kennedy said.
“Now we have to mitigate the risk and see what we can do.”
Following public interest and feedback, Council commissioned an independent peer review of the study last year, which confirmed that the modelling and estimates were reliable and accurate.
They then commenced the Flood Risk Management Study and Plan phase of the project, which is focussed on evaluating practical flood mitigation options, assessing community impacts, and framing updated planning controls.
While the FRMSP is underway, Council resolved to continue using the planning controls and flood planning areas defined in the 2012 Local Environmental Plan (LEP) for standard land development decisions.
Findings from the 2024 Flood Study are still considered when assessing new development applications.
Mayor Cheryl Cook told Mr Seeliger the council had no special powers to ignore the law, the science, the engineering, and the risk.
The motion to advise SMAG that the council would not accept the petition request or commission a second independent review of the study was carried 6-3.
Councillors also resolved to liaise closely with MDBA and GMWater in relation to possible modifications to Yarrawonga Weir as well as other possible mitigation measures, including levies, management of storages and a review of added freeboard (the vertical distance from the water's surface to the crest of a dam) in Lake Mulwala opposite Mulwala township.
