$18 million committed for flood risk management projects across Queensland

Since 2011, Queenslanders have experienced more than 80 floods across the State.

An additional $18 million of funding will be pumped in to Queensland’s successful and long-standing Flood Risk Management Program (FRMP).

Through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), this boost will support initiatives that help deliver a comprehensive approach to flood management, integrating forecasting, infrastructure, community involvement, and ongoing evaluation.

Jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, this investment is supporting local governments to take evidence-based approaches to better protect their community and reduce the impacts of the next big flood.

This is a comprehensive and integrated approach to risk, flood intelligence, resilience and recovery because the public safety of Queenslanders is always paramount.

The additional funding is available for:

• $7.8 million for 39 eligible councils to improve resilience across communities to future flooding events, through funding flood studies, risk assessments, management strategies, and intelligence systems, all scoped to the unique local needs of regions and communities.
• $4.2 million will be shared among Queensland Government departments for similar projects, such as improvements to the flood forecasting and warning system, evacuation planning and community awareness initiatives.
• Queensland’s Department of Resources will also receive a funding boost of an additional $6 million to build on data capture work to better understand potential flood risks of the future, taking this total investment to $12.4 million.

The $18 million builds on $31 million announced in 2022 for projects to address medium and long-term flood recovery and resilience needs across the state.

The total value of the FRMP is now $49 million. 

The program was established in response to the significant events of the 2021-22 disaster season including flooding in the south-east and across central, southern and western areas, and ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth.

Further information

Previous projects delivered under the FRMP, which is administered by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, include river, creek and overland flood studies, flood risk assessments and management strategies, and community education materials.

The Flood Risk Management Program is backing 39 eligible Councils impacted by the 2021-22 Queensland Rainfall and Flooding.

Additional FRMP funding will support these councils to undertake further evidence-based flood risk management activities based on the 3D maps and models generated from the technology.

Further, more councils will be able to apply for the necessary LiDAR data for their local government areas, improving flood preparedness and management as well as flood risk understanding.

The $18 million in redirected funding includes an allocation for project costs and administration.

More information on Queensland’s Flood Risk Management Program can be found at www.qra.qld.gov.au.