In November 2023 Flood Class level changes across East Gippsland were approved after a four-year project including Victoria State Emergency Service, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, East Gippsland Shire and Regional Roads Victoria was commenced to build community knowledge and resilience to riverine flooding and flood impacts for the East Gippsland community.
East Gippsland experiences significant storm and severe weather events that often result in flood warnings for catchments which can have an impact on residents, business owners, tourists and people who travel within the East Gippsland region.
The new changes to the flood classifications of Minor, Moderate and Major flood levels for the Mitchell River are to comply with the national standard for the impacts of the flood heights, meaning the general impacts of a flood in East Gippsland will also be the same impacts across Australia, which can include; covering low lying paths, tracks or low bridges, spill over into low lying camping or public areas adjacent to the river or catchment, and require stock to be moved.
By standardising the flood impacts it provides people with intelligence on the impacts regardless of the familiarity of the area impacted by flooding.
Local Flood Guides are accessible to the public through the Victoria State Emergency Service website. The guides provide flood class levels and local interpretation of the impacts as well as flood history and how to respond to impending or occurring flooding.
The Victoria State Emergency Service recommends anyone who resides, visits or travels through an area is familiar with their flood risk.
On Tuesday, May 7, Victoria State Emergency Service is inviting the community to the Bairnsdale Unit at 189 Macleod Street, Bairnsdale between 8.30am and 6pm to come and learn about the changes and discuss impacts of the changes.
