Council has taken a significant step toward enhancing flood safety in North Wagga, after voting to accept the final report by the Centre for International Economics (CIE) on flood mitigation options at their Ordinary Meeting on Monday 27 May 2024.

This decision enables the Council to now begin planning in earnest for the implementation of the report’s two-stage approach.

Recommendations attached to Stage 1 include an upgrade of the existing North Wagga levee system to a five per cent Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) level, or a 1 in 20 levee.

AEP is a measurement term used by flood modellers when considering flood events according to their size and regularity.

Director Strategy and Projects Phil McMurray said Stage 1 would involve raising key sections of the levee bank.

“It would also provide support to the floodplain community outside the levee through the investigation of Voluntary House Raising and Purchase or other mitigation options to residents that suffer a real impact from the raised levee,” Mr McMurray said.

The recommendations for Stage 2 include a suggested increase to the road heights and bridges along Hampden Avenue, with room for Council to consider further measures or new designs as outlined in the report.

“This upgrade would provide the capacity to facilitate safer, more effective evacuations, at a higher river point, for both residents and emergency services,” Mr McMurray said.

"Stage 2 will be considered in the future, subject to funding and approval processes.”

Council’s acceptance of CIE’s final report follows a successful consultation period, after a draft version of the document was placed on public exhibition earlier this year.

Council will now seek funding for the design phase of the levee upgrade.