Deltares: Flood Risks Mapped Out for Brisbane River

In early 2011, 38 people fell victim to the floods in the Brisbane river basin in Australia.

The economic damage amounted to 2 billion Australian dollars. To enhance flood protection in this area, the Australian government called in Deltares recently to conduct a hydrological study of the river.

Quantification of probabilities of extreme water levels

At 334 kilometres, the Brisbane River is the largest river in south-east Queensland. The river flows through the capital, Brisbane, which has a population of more than 1.6 million. The Deltares study, which will take a year, will calculate the probabilities of extreme water levels caused by a range of conditions. The Deltares FEWS software package (Flood Early Warning System) will be used in conjunction with fast, advanced probability calculation techniques.

Australian/Dutch alliance

Deltares will be teaming up for the purposes of this study with RoyalHaskoningDHV and two Australian partners, Aurecon and Don Carroll Project Management. RHDHV will be conducting analyses of factors that include spatial precipitation patterns and the impacts of climate change. Aurecon will be responsible for project management and consultant Don Carroll is an Australian hydrologist who will provide the project team with technical advice in a range of areas.

Australian government in position to conduct analyses after completion

The government in Queensland will be able to draw on the final results of the study to make further plans to enhance flood protection in its area. The user-friendliness of FEWS will allow people to carry out supplementary analyses after the completion of the study, both here and in other catchments. This study will be followed by hydraulic analyses and, ultimately, the planning and implementation of protection measures.

[mappress]

Press Release, November 12, 2013