Web page reboot for flood awareness

Newcastle City Council has relaunched its webpages on flooding to help residents better understand flood-prone areas and mitigate the risks through increased awareness.

Council's website contains detailed information about flooding in a newly generated flood map which shows the floodplain and flood risk across the city.

Raised awareness of the physical characteristics of a catchment discourage people from driving or walking through floodways, polluting their local waterways, evacuating too late and disturbing waterside corridors.

A social media campaign has been developed for the release to engage the community and encourage residents to find out via the website if they live in a flood-prone area.

"Flooding affects up to one third of properties in Newcastle," Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

"We are aiming to educate our community on flood risk and to improve the liveability of our city while potentially saving lives during floods.

"Recent surveys undertaken by Newcastle Voice found a limited understanding in the community of the physical aspects of the water cycle, with many unable to name their local catchment or waterway.

"This understanding is key to ensuring residents understand the behaviour of stormwater in their local surroundings and the value of everyday activities that maintain the drainage network."

The webpages and campaign have been developed to encourage residents to share resources, care for vulnerable groups and reduce the reliance on the SES.

The website aims to:

• Help residents identify the catchment they live in and the location of their local waterway
• Inform residents about basic flood mechanisms (flash, mainstream and ocean flooding)
• Inform the community about the role Council plays in flood management
• Direct the community to the SES website for information on emergency management
• Increase community awareness of what to do to prepare, respond and recover from floods

Residents should remember:

• Being prepared is the first step towards reducing flood risk
• Many parts of Newcastle are located on floodplains, even in areas not near a creek or the harbour
• It is important to share information with neighbours and look out for vulnerable groups in the floodplain
• The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is the primary combat agency in case of flood and responds to floods when they happen with the assistance of Council.

For more information about flooding in Newcastle, visit Council's website at www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/flooding