Flood risk and resilience

Flood is one of the biggest threats across the state. As part of the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) is delivering greater coordination for how communities manage flood hazards.

In partnership with agencies and local governments, QRA has implemented the following flood management plans, resilience strategies, flood risk, flood warning and flood communication initiatives to explore new ways to work together to improve safety, build resilience, and minimise the impacts of floodwaters.

Flood risk management

Queensland Flood Risk Management Framework
The Queensland Flood Risk Management Framework sets the direction for flood risk management statewide, outlines roles and responsibilities, and guides and support decision-making by councils.
Flood risk metrics
Learn about the five metrics supporting improvements to flood risk management for Queensland communities, and the 202-21 metrics baseline report.
Economic Assessment Framework
Supports investment in flood risk mitigation by providing a framework to quantify all types of damages resulting from floods.

Flood warnings and classifications

Queensland Strategic Flood Warning Infrastructure Plan
Supporting communities to better prepare and respond to flood events, and improve community resilience to flood events, through development of a best practice network of flood warning gauges.
Queensland Flood Warning Infrastructure Network
Improving Queensland’s flood warning infrastructure network to help keep our communities safe
Flood classifications
Best practice guide for local governments to understand flood classifications, river heights and flood forecasts, gauges, flood warnings and how to set flood classifications.

Flood communication

Flood website
The Queensland Government flood website at www.qld.gov.au/flood acts as a source of truth and gateway so that Queenslanders can easily find reliable information about flood.
Flood Communication Toolkit
Supports Queensland's councils to provide consistent flood messaging to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from flood events.
flood terms and definitions
A comprehensive list of flood flood terms, definitions and references to support consistent communication about flooding.
Flood educational videos
Helping Queenslanders to understand flood risk, flood warnings, flash flooding, riverine flooding, and how catchments work

Flood evacuation route improvements

State guideline - Flood evacuation route improvements
Guidance on a process to support the identification of 'fair and reasonable' flood evacuation route improvements.

Flood resilience strategies and plans

Brisbane River catchment
Partnership between the Queensland Government, Seqwater and the local governments of Brisbane, Ipswich, Somerset and Lockyer Valley.
burdekin haughton
A locally-led and regionally-coordinated strategy for flood resilience in the communities of the Burdekin and Haughton regions.
Burnett catchment
Provides a coordinated approach to managing flood risk across the four local councils of the Burnett River catchment: Bundaberg, Cherbourg, North Burnett and South Burnett.

Flood resilience case studies

Rebuilding Grantham
In January 2011, Grantham experienced a devastating flash flood described as an “inland tsunami”. QRA worked with Lockyer Valley Regional Council to develop a plan for Rebuilding Grantham together.