How do we fix Naracoorte’s drainage problems?

This is the question we asked former mayor David Hood, as the recent rain event put the township’s drainage systems under immense pressure.

Mr Hood claims the “drainage problems” had been expanded through the years by the Corporation of Naracoorte with addons and extensions to drains and no long-term plan.

“The topography of Naracoorte makes drainage plans quite difficult. Over thousands of years, water broke through the ranges, spilling onto the mosquito plains,” he explained.

Mr Hood said this natural drainage system has been inhibited for the last 180 years by the development of a town built on a flood plain and the slopes around the Naracoorte Creek.

“In some cases, the flow of water has been slowed down, or in some cases, accelerated by roads, car parks, and housing developments.

“After the amalgamation of the Corporation of Naracoorte and the district council of Naracoorte, the new council appointed drainage consultants to prepare a study on how to fix Naracoorte’s drainage problems.

“Many people will remember the installation of large drainage pipes through the town centre in the last few years, crossing the Town Square, and the purchase of a shop near the Food Land car park to accommodate the rejuvenated system into the Naracoorte creek.

“This has worked well, capturing many problem areas, and will serve the town well into the future.”

Mr Hood said the recent rain event certainly put the drainage systems under pressure, and had it not been for the recent upgrades, damage would have been greater.

“Water flooded the gutters of the best-built homes.

“While this was a severe storm event, Naracoorte’s major flooding problem will follow a wet winter via the Caves Valley, as no remedial action has been taken since 1924 and the original drainage capacity has been reduced.”

He said that following the floods of 1992, the Corporation of Naracoorte installed a rib lock pipe into the Caves Valley drain with a spoon drain on top and relief access to Gair’s Swamp.

“This was never really tested but was done to try to slow the flow of water to ease flooding.

“The recent replacement pipe, with the removal of the spoon drain and access to Memorial Oval, and complete disregard for remedial action proposed in the 1990’s consultant’s report have probably increased the chance of flooding many homes in the Caves Valley to the Naracoorte Creek by about 30 per cent.”

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.