CSIRO study proves flood refuge mounds help save livestock

A new CSIRO study has confirmed that raised earthen flood refuge mounds (FRMs) can mean the difference between a herd surviving a flood and a producer losing their livelihood.

The $2 million On-Farm Resilience Study, commissioned by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) and funded through the Australian Government's North Queensland Recovery and Resilience Package, examined how FRMs performed during three major floods over the past five years.

FRMs are large constructed earth mounds designed to provide higher ground in times of flooding for livestock and farming infrastructure.

The Australian Government’s $91.8 million North Queensland Recovery and Resilience Package is helping northern Queensland communities recover from major flood events of 2019 and 2023, and prepare for future floods.

In the CSIRO study it was noted that circular mounds outperformed rectangular ones, slowing floodwaters down and reducing erosion around the base.

Additionally, establishing vegetation quickly on a mound was supported as a way to hold the structure together and stop it from washing away.

Other recommendations were made about the placement of multiple FRMs and the distance between mounds to maximise the effectiveness of protecting livestock.

Following initial findings, the study is now moving into a trial phase, with Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI) working alongside outback councils and graziers in north-west Queensland to build and test new FRMs.

Saving livestock during flood events is crucial for producers who face a serious and long-term financial impacts from flood-related losses.

Losing just 10 per cent of breeding stock can set a grazing enterprise back one-to-three years, while heavier losses can stretch recovery out to five years or more.

Producers interested in building their own flood refuge mound can get design, construction and management guidance from DPI by phoning 13 25 23.

Learn more about the benefits of FRMs by reading a recent QRA case study on the flood mitigation technique.