Making flood warnings more effective

SES, Council and community input into the development of flood warning systems and services. Opper, S. and Rutledge, A. (1999) presented at the 39th Annual Conference of the Floodplain Management Authorities of NSW, Tamworth

On the 21st of August 1998, the State Emergency Service's (SES) State Planning and Research Officer arrived at the Namoi Region SES Headquarters to commence field work with SES units and communities in the Namoi Valley. The aim of the trip was to review earlier work done on flood planning and public awareness as well as to take the opportunity to gather much needed flood intelligence. The trip was booked three months earlier. Upon his arrival, he was handed a Flood Alert that had been issued that morning. By coincidence he found himself on the ground at the start of the largest floods in the Namoi Valley for the past 14 years. He was about to experience first hand the benefits that good flood intelligence and planning bring to flood warning and the difficulties experienced where there is a lack of it.

This paper combines a discussion of some of the policy and principles which underpin good flood warning practice with observations and insights into the floods on the Namoi and Castlereagh Rivers which occurred in 1998.

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