Council project aims to end Moody blues
Published 20th August 2018
| 20 August 2018 |
The $150,000 Moody Estate levee upgrade, to safeguard properties affected by the 2016 floods, is nearing completion.
In the past three weeks, a swale drain has been constructed, which saw over 5,000 tonnes of soil shifted to create the 420 metre long levee bank. The final stage of the project is wrapping up and Council expects it will be completed sometime next week.
The levee will help protect about 15 properties, the surrounding walking trail and allow access in and out of the estate via Christopher Street and Bruce Drive in the event of another overflow.
Wakefield Mayor Rodney Reid said the project was a response to the Wakefield River overflowing and flooding the Estate about two years ago.
“The water was reaching people’s front doors,walking trails had been swept away and roads turned into muddy streams,” Mayor Reid said.
“We’re hoping the upgrade provides some peace of mind to residents and a barrier if we are unfortunate enough to have another freak storm event,” Mayor Reid said.
Read about the plans and projects we have planed for 2018/19 here.
Council engaged engineering consultants to undertake planning and design of the levee system.
“A well planned, designed and maintained levee delivers a wide range of benefits to Council and the wider community, as well as to those who live, work and do business in areas affected by flooding,” Mayor Reid said.
“Flooding costs us all. The cost of damage to Council’s assets including, community buildings, facilities, roads, street lights and footpaths in the 2016 flooding amounted to about half a million dollars in damages.
“Not to mention that the levee will also help to reduce the public health and safety risks associated with flooding.”
At least five major floods have been recorded since Balaklava’s settlement, the largest flood being in 1941, which saw some parts of town submerged in water for weeks. In 1951, another flood required a similar clean-up job.