BLOCKING off the Murray Downs Creek increased the flood threat to Swan Hill, Police and Emergency Services Minister Pat McNamara was told yesterday.
At a meeting at the Swan Hill City Office, city engineer Frank Smith told Mr McNamara that blocking the creek from flood flows should never have been allowed.
The Minister was being briefed on Swan Hill city and shire’s flood preparations with the Murray River to peak here next week.
The Murray Downs Creek was blocked off when a bridge on the Swan Hill – Balranald road was removed and replaced by a causeway.
Mr Smith referred to a map which showed that in the even t of a one percent flood, 80 to 90 percent of Swan Hill was liable to flooding.
He said the city was bracing itself for a 1975 flood level.
“We’re not concerned that water could com over the banks, but through the banks,” Mr Smith said.
He said there was also a threat that floodwaters upstream and downstream of Swan Hill could threaten the city.
Mr Smith said the city was constantly monitoring seepage in levee banks.
“The longer the river stays up, the more chance there is of seepage.”
He said pumps were on stand-by and a constant watch was being kept on the river gauge.
Swan Hill shire senior executive engineer Ian Mitchener said the river level could remain high for six weeks, which would create a dangerous situation with levee banks becoming saturated and sodden.
“The shire has never had a river that will be so high for so long.
“If a levee bursts it will cause a lot of problems,” he said.
The meeting was told Robinvale would have to cope with flood flows from the Murrumbidgee, Edward and Wakool Rivers on top of the water coming down the Murray.
Mr McNamara said he was aware of concerns by municipalities along the rivers as to whether they would be reimbursed for money they had spent to prevent flooding, as opposed to others in the north-east seeking reimbursement for damage already done.
He said this would be raised at a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee this morning.
