They shared their ongoing distress at the impact of the floods on their homes, businesses and community, and the impact of high storage levels at Lake Eppalock on their mental health and wellbeing.
I recognise that the recovery journey is long and often difficult one after natural disasters and emergencies — every flood-affected resident and community across Victoria has unique needs, and I’m grateful to those in Rochester who once again gave up their time to share their experiences.
I acknowledged the anxiety felt by residents and landholders downstream of Lake Eppalock given its current capacity — anxiety which has been exacerbated by the impact of last October’s flooding.
And that’s why it was so important to be upfront when discussing the storage level and that the expert advice was not to reduce the level of Lake Eppalock to 90 per cent.
Goulburn-Murray Water is communicating with residents through regular updates and public webinars.
As the experts in this area, they are explaining the many factors that influence river levels, how water storages are safely managed, and explaining how the long-term climate outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology influences decisions around storage levels.
As we discussed at the meeting that was also attended by representatives from Campaspe Shire Council, a series of things have occurred to support Rochester’s flood mitigation and preparedness since the 2011 floods.
These actions include the delivery of a new flood study for Rochester, enhancements to the flood warning system via improved flood warning gauges, creation of a Rochester local flood guide, and updates to the Campaspe Shire Municipal Flood Emergency Plan.
The October 2022 floods were significantly larger than the floods in 2011, and it is important we learn from them and make improvements based on the most comprehensive information and expert advice.
We know as a result of climate change that we can expect to see more extreme future weather events including flooding, and that increasing flood resilience, systems of communication and preparedness across infrastructure, planning and response have never been more important.
It’s also crucial that governments of all levels learn from flood events to improve partnerships with communities like Rochester to build natural disaster resilience.
This includes investment in future flood resilience, flood planning and modelling, being agile and clear in decision-making, and considering changes to operating arrangements and new infrastructure that may be required, and ensuring our communities across the floodplain have the resources in real time that they need to make informed decisions that are right for them.
It’s also crucial that long-term support is provided for communities to recover.
To that end, and in addition to flood recovery support, we have provided $420,000 to Campaspe Shire Council to update and expand its flood study for the region, which will help to inform further mitigation options and warning systems.
I’ve tasked the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to undertake a technical assessment of options to use Lake Eppalock to reduce flood risk including the benefit and costs of doing so.
This assessment will be publicly available, and I also confirmed to attendees that once it is complete, I will make decisions about the future of Lake Eppalock as a priority.
I am keenly aware of the distress and anxiety being experienced as this work goes on, and it is my priority to provide certainty to communities as they work to rebuild and recover.
Communities that are equipped with the most current information and resources will inevitably be better prepared for future flooding events exacerbated by climate change, particularly as our regional populations grow.
We will continue to meet with flood-affected communities like Rochester — to listen, to respond, and to provide information and certainty in every way we can so that long-term recovery can go on.
Harriet Shing
Victorian Water Minister
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