Killarney Vale/Long Jetty Catchments Overland Flood Study

Wyong Shire Council is currently preparing a flood study for the Killarney Vale and Long Jetty catchments.  As shown in the image on the right, the catchments include the suburbs of Killarney Vale, Long Jetty, Bateau Bay, Shelly Beach and The Entrance. The catchments include a network of open channels, stormwater pipes and detention basins which are designed to safely carry stormwater runoff from the catchment into Tuggerah Lake. However, during very heavy rainfall there is potential for the capacity of the existing stormwater system to be exceeded. In such cases, the excess water will spill out of waterways and stormwater pipes and has the potential to inundate roadways as well as residential and commercial properties.  Flooding has occurred most recently in 2007 as well as 2010.

Catchment Map

Due to the highly urbanised nature of the study area, flooding has the potential to cause significant disruption and inconvenience to residents and business owners within the catchment. During severe floods there is also potential for property damage to be incurred as well as a risk to life. As such, flooding can place a significant financial burden on the community and place lives at risk.

The preparation of a flood study will help Wyong Council to understand the existing flooding problem within the Killarney Vale and Long Jetty catchments. It will also help Council to identify where flood damage reduction measures may be best implemented to reduce the cost of flooding to the community, assist with emergency management / evacuation processes and guide future development in a way that recognises the flood hazard.

As part of the study, computer models will be used to simulate flood behavior across the catchment. For the study to be as reliable as possible, the computer models will be calibrated so they reproduce floods that have occurred in the past. Therefore, it is necessary to gather information describing the height, extent and/or depth of floodwaters during past floods. The community is actively encouraged to contribute to the study by completing the online Questionnaire or sending information on past flooding experiences (including flood photos/videos). The community can also contact Council or Catchment Simulation Solutions (Council's specialist flooding consultants) to discuss any aspect of the study.

The flood study is being completed as part of Wyong Council’s Floodplain Risk Management Program, which aims to reduce the impact of flooding on the community. It is funded by Council with additional funding and technical support provided by the NSW Government’s Office of Environment and Heritage. It should be noted that this website does not necessarily represent the opinions of the NSW Government or the Office of Environment and Heritage.

The study is being prepared by engineering consultancy, Catchment Simulation Solutions, who have completed many similar flood studies across NSW.

To learn more about the study, including how you can contribute to the study, click the "Next" button below.