Southern Queensland floods - again

Fortunately the State Library staff moved collections from the lower levels to the fourth floor before the flood hit. The biggest problem will be the humidity which will affect the items due to the lack of air conditioning because of power failures. The best way to ensure that historical records do not get destroyed in flood or fire is to store them in the cloud. Backups that are stored on site or close by are just not as safe. Libraries around the world are working hard to digitise their collections. Recently the State Library of Queensland uploaded 50,000 images to Wikimedia. Due to their foresight and effort I was still able to access their collection on Wikimedia while their building was closed and their website down due to the floods.

Brisbane

I read about Brisbane's flooding problem while doing a geography major at university. Through an article by Rahman and Weber we learned that Brisbane is prone to flooding because of flash flooding of creeks within the city due to severe thunderstorms, overland flooding due to built structures impeding and redirecting the natural path of rainwater overland and flooding of the Brisbane river (Rahman and Weber, p. 74). Brisbane is hilly and therefore has many valleys where floodwater accumulates. Unfortunately buildings have been sited in areas where floods can occur. The Bureau of Meteorology has summarised the history of flooding in Brisbane by graph and a chronology. This shows 1841 was the year when Brisbane suffered its highest flood levels. 1893 saw flooding that almost reached the levels of 1841. The 1974 floods were severe but considerably lower than the floods of the nineteenth century. While the 1974 floods were higher 6,700 homes were affected whereas in 2011 14,700 homes were affected.

Source: Bureau of Meteorology

The recognition of the susceptibility of Brisbane to flooding in the nineteenth century can be seen in this flood map produced in 1893.

Flood map of Brisbane, 1893. Source: 'Themed Mapping', Queensland government website.

Nearly a year ago I stayed in the riverside suburb of Yeronga while doing my research at the John Oxley Library for my thesis. It was a beautiful suburb that stretched along the river. I spent a pleasant but hot morning walking along the banks of the river on the way to the University of Queensland. At the time I was grateful for how flat this stretch was. Unfortunately the close proximity to the river and the flat ground which I appreciated nearly a year ago are features that no Brisbane resident will appreciate today.

The suburb of Yeronga is just one of many that has been invaded by the river. 417 houses in this suburb have been immersed in floodwaters. The inescapable issue that the authorities will have to grapple with in the aftermath of this tragedy is how to plan for the future. These floods will occur again and again. New buildings and structures will need to be constructed to replace those that have been destroyed. Where will they be placed?

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Print Sources

• Rahman, K., and T. Weber, 'Sustainable urban development in Brisbane City - the Holy Grail?, Water Science and Technology, 47 no. 7-8, pp. 73-9.

Maps

• Towns affected by floods in southern Queensland: Sydney Morning Herald, 14 Jan 2011.
• Topographical map showing places in southern Queensland affected by floods: Mail Online, 12 Jan. 2011 (scroll down the page to find the map).
• Excellent map showing flood affected areas of Brisbane: Brisbane City Council Flood COP (note the ability to zoom into street level on this map).
• Detailed Photomap of Brisbane created by photos taken on 13 Jan. 2011:  Nearmap 
• More historic maps of floods in Brisbane:  Short Sharp Science