Flood Warning and Damages in Alice Springs: Part 1 Executive Summary. Part 2 Tangible Damages Part 3 Intangible Damages & Emergency Procedures
Handmer, John; Smith, D. I.; Greenaway, Mark
E-Publications; E-Books; PublicationNT; Report ; 53/1989
1989-04-01
Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).
Date:1989-04
English
Power and Water Authority
Alice Springs
Report ; 53/1989
application/pdf.
Check within Publication or with content Publisher.
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/228902
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/673596
Technical Report WRA89053 Viewed at 03:02:00 on 18/02/2010 Page 58 of 139. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I respondents drew a distinction between the flood m~~iga~~on d~d recreation functions af the proposed dam. aut, it ~3 li.~ely that the perceived dual purpose of the dam :':-'.flue:-:ced responses. Only two respondents in the residential survey indicated support for a dam. Thirteen volunteered ~hei~ opposition. Interestingly, commercial interviewees were mere positive about the dam, giving it clear suppo~~. :~~st of the governr:lent. officials incerviewed expressed ccnsiderable skepticism about the value of the pro;~sals, a~d opposition to the recreation lake concept. 7he most commonly mentioned item in Table 3.: ~2S removal of the Casino ca11seway on the grounds that ~t r~~3ed la~al flood levels. The causeway certainly ca~ses substantial afflux immediately upstream, and as ho~ses generally suffered 0verfloor flooding of less than 20cm :he i.Dtet'viefr/ees' concern may be justified. An asseSSrr,7;r1t b:'l P.Z:..N.Z'l. concluded that only one building, a block of E:Jusir:g Commission flats, W'as act.ually flooded as a result :': t:-:.-::: ca~seway afflux. Other buildings in the vicinity ~Juld ~ave flooded anyway, though to slightly shallower depths. Whether their concern is justified from a technical perspective or not, the causeway is a source of maJ~r dissatisfaction to che people involved. Sand mining as a mitigation measure received stro~g support. This is unlikely to have a significant i~pact )n flood levels unless a very substantial amount of sa~d was removed. Extensive sand removal would also involve ~emoval of river gums, many of which are regarded as sacred ~r o~ special significance by Aborigines~ Furthermore f t~e idea is unlikely to appeal to tourists. Flood related ~and ~se planning received some support from both residentia: and corrunercial responder"!c s, but received less support t:ian .:-y: he!" cp::ions. Aborigines and flooding in Alice Springs Aboriginal "Town camps" Aboriginal people l:"ve in conventional housing dist:-ibu:.ed throughout the town, and in town camps both within and c~ the cutskir::s of Alice Springs (Figure 3.1). ~!any:)f the 'town cacnps' have housing units suitable for extended fa~ily occupation by more t~an one family. ('tTown campf' is a te~m given to an Aboriginal housing or camping site in c::- nea~ a te',.ln) The Todd River bed is used as a camping a~ea ::.y pe;)ple who do not have an established place to stay. This includes: Aboriginal people visiting the town who ~ave ~o kin in Alice Springs; visitors whose kin have no room for