Griffith Major Overland Flow Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan For CBD Catchments

The recommended Floodplain Risk Management Plan for the Griffith CBD catchments has been prepared in accordance with the NSW Floodplain Development Manual (Reference 6) and: * Is based on a comprehensive and detailed evaluation of all factors that affect and are affected by the use of flood prone land; and * Provides a long-term path for the future development of the community.

Griffith is located approximately 450 km north of Melbourne and 560 km west of Sydney in the heart of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA). The CBD and residential areas of Griffith are located at the base of the McPherson Ranges (see Figure 1). Griffith and its surrounding villages of Yenda, Yoogali, Hanwood, Bilbul and Beelbangera lie within the Main Drain “J” catchment, which together with its network of drainage channels delivers runoff to Mirrool Creek.

The Griffith CBD catchment has an area of approximately 9 km2. The upper part of the catchment is steep and covered in scattered timber and bushland. South of the bushland area the urban area begins and continues south to Wakaden St and the Temora-Roto Railway Line. This area is predominantly low density residential development. Griffith CBD lies to the south of the railway line, and is characterised by commercial and light industrial land uses. At the downstream extents of the CBD is the Main Canal which is raised above normal ground levels and is consequently a substantial obstruction to overland flow.

The City of Griffith is not located on the banks of a major river system and therefore does not experience mainstream flooding as occurs at other centres within the Murrumbidgee River catchment for example Wagga Wagga. However, Griffith and its surrounding areas are affected by high volume rainfall events and also from flooding from the Main Drain J system.

In the past, frequent flooding has occurred throughout the commercial areas of Griffith including Yambil Street, even in small rainfall events less than the 6 month ARI for example. Studies have indicated that this flooding has been due to a combination of catchment runoff, blockage and/or insufficient capacity of the sub-surface drainage systems and the associated siphon drainage systems, as well as the elevated railway and canal embankments that impede downstream overland flow paths. Within the study area flows are predominantly distributed and shallow at the upstream or northern sections of the CBD catchment and runoff generally ponds behind the various embankments that tend to be aligned normal to general flow direction such as the Main Canal and railway line, before being gradually discharged through the siphon outlets located under the Main Canal at the downstream boundary of the study area. The Flood Study (Reference 1) also found that the actual flow at the siphons was largely restricted by the upstream drainage system.