Changes to flood standards and levels

Following the January 2011 flood, a Joint Flood Taskforce was formed. The Taskforce helped Brisbane City Council understand the event and any impact new information may have on flooding standards for planning and development in Brisbane.

On 15 March 2011, Council endorsed the Joint Flood Taskforce Report (PDF - 400kb) which made seven key recommendations addressing issues such as:

• interim changes to flooding standards for building and development based on the January 2011 flood
• further analysis of risks posed by flooding in the Brisbane catchment
• further flood studies to refine Council's technical understanding of flooding
• updated study of the profile and characteristics of the Brisbane River
• investigate and consider new flood risk management strategies which may work well in the Brisbane City Catchment

In rapid response to one of the Taskforce recommendations, on 16 May 2011 Council adopted a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) 01/11 - Brisbane Interim Flood Response. This TLPI expired on 15 May 2012 and was replaced by the TLPI 01/12. This new TLPI will continue to guide development in areas affected by the 2011 Brisbane River flood as well as creek / waterway flooding.