Flood Reports and Flood Assessments for City of Gold Coast
City of Gold Coast
The City of Gold Coast is one of Australia's fastest growing urban regions, containing a diverse range of residential, commercial, industrial and tourism-related developments. The region includes everything from high-density apartment towers and mixed-use developments through to industrial land, waterfront developments, subdivisions and large residential estates.
Flood Smart Engineering regularly assists clients throughout the Gold Coast with flood reports, flood assessments, flood immunity assessments, overland flow assessments and hydraulic modelling. Our experience spans a wide range of development applications (DA) and building applications (BA), helping property owners, developers and consultants understand flooding constraints and maximise development opportunities.
Flooding within the City of Gold Coast can arise from a variety of sources including river flooding, creek flooding, overland flow, storm tide and coastal inundation. Understanding the applicable flood overlays, flood planning levels and assessment requirements early in the development process is often critical to achieving council approval and avoiding costly redesigns.
Our local knowledge and experience has contributed to the successful approval of projects throughout the Gold Coast region, including residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments.
City of Gold Coast Planning Scheme
The City of Gold Coast requires flood assessments when located in the ‘Flood assessment required’ overlay.
The Coastal Erosion Hazard overlays may also warrant a flood assessment. These overlays are used as triggers for assessment against the respective overlay codes as part of the City of Gold Coast’s Planning Scheme.
The following interactive map displays all the overlays your property may be affected by: City of Gold Coast City Plan
Steps to Follow
The following steps will assist you in identifying the flood overlays affecting your property:
Go to the City of Gold Coast City Plan
Search for your property address
In ‘Map Tools’ (right side of the website), under the ‘Overlays’ section, click ‘Flood’
The screenshot below shows the City of Gold Coast City Plan (Interactive mapping system).
City of Gold Coast City Plan (Interactive Mapping System)
City of Gold Coast Flood Planning Map
The City of Gold Coast provides additional flood mapping, including the following:
Design flooding extents (a combination of overland flow, creek and river flooding)
Design flooding depths (1% AEP yr2100)
Maximum defined flood level
Ground level estimates
The Flood Planning Map is best used to identify how flooded your property may be. Using the maximum defined flood level, the new minimum floor/design levels can be calculated.
Steps to Follow
The following steps will assist you in identifying flooding affecting your property:
Go to the City of Gold Coast’s Flood Planning Map
Search for your property address
Click on your property and a property summary will pop up
The property summary will show the ground level estimate and maximum defined flood level
The screenshot below shows the City of Gold Coast Flood Planning Map.
City of Gold Coast Flood Planning Map
To view past and current applications in the City of Gold Coast, visit the Development.i page.
The City of Gold Coast also provides an Insurance Map which shows five different flooding scenarios.
Coastal flooding and storm tide are important considerations for developments near neatways, estuaries, canals and bays throughout Gold Coast. These flooding types can differ from the traditional overland flow, creek and river flooding sources. Coastal engineers may required to undertake assessments for such flooding.
Types of Assessments We Provide
These assessments are required by the City of Gold Coast to ensure that adverse flood impacts are not created which may negatively affect neighbouring properties, the surrounding area and more.
During this assessment, the construction type and location is usually determined. This may involve altering the earthworks on your property, constructing on a suspended slab or creating flood-specific pathways.
Flood Immunity Assessments:
The City of Gold Coast requires various types of development to meet various flood immunity requirements so that floor levels are safe during overland flow and flood events.
This usually involves habitable floor levels, non-habitable floor levels, servicing levels and the ability for site occupants to traverse the site without being exposed to flood hazard.
Flood Risk Assessments:
When flooding may impact upon the ability for site occupants to traverse or evacuate a site, flood risk and flood emergency matters are to be addressed.
This usually involves evacuations plans, understanding of flood warning times, flood recovery considerations and more.
Overland flows paths are common in the hinterlands and high areas of the City of Gold Coast due to the various elevation changes in topography. The City of Gold Coast does not typically provide flood data for overland flow paths. As such, it is important that overland flow assessments are undertaken through our TUFLOW hydraulic models to determine their characteristics and impact upon your property and future development.
At Flood Smart Engineering, we utilise TUFLOW hydraulic models to produce flood levels, velocities, hazards and extents for inundation sources such as overland flow. These models provide site-specific results so that we can focus on increasing development opportunity for your property and gaining council approval through the building application (BA) and development application (DA) phases.
Our experience in the City of Gold Coast
Over the years we have worked on a large number and variety of projects in the Gold Coast region. The most common development applications we assist with are:
Canalfront developments
Waterfront developments
Tourism accommodation
Mixed-used precincts
Schools and recreational areas
Industrial yards
Our local knowledge and expertise has contributed to our understanding of specific flooding characteristics within the City of Gold Coast ie. flooding from waterways such as Nerang River, Tallebudgera Creek, Coomera River, Currumbin Creek, Mudgeeraba Creek and more.
Gold Coast Suburbs We Commonly Service
At Flood Smart Engineering, we regularly work all throughout the suburbs of Gold Coast including but not limited to: Southport, Robina, Nerang, Coomera, Burleigh Heads, Hope Island and Pimpama.
FAQs
Do I need a flood assessment for my property?
1
If you are located in a flood overlay, you will most likely require a flood assessment to be undertaken. Flooding can be a complex issue and requires a keen eye to identify development opportunity. Please contact us and we can assist you with your property.
What is a Flood Search Report
2
The Flood Search Report identifies the flood overlays and flood levels affecting your property. These reports can include more flood information when requested by the City of Gold Coast.
Can I build in a flood overlay?
3
Flood overlays can be built in as long as compliance with the City of Gold Coast’s Planning Scheme is achieved. Some properties have more development potential than others.
What experience do you have in the City of Gold Coast?
4
We are involved in a significant number of Gold Coast projects which has contributed to our local knowledge. The developments we work on range from high-density residential and commercial developments to large industrial land.
Flood report costs vary depending upon the flooding type and complexity. Please contact us and we can prepare a formal proposal for your consideration.
A flood report is usually required for a building application (BA) or development application (DA) in the City of Gold Coast. It is best to engage us as early as possible as the flooding component for a development can be crucial in determining engineering design.
How much does a flood report cost?
5
When do I need a flood report?
6
The City of Gold Coast requires developments to meet flood immunity requirements. To be flood immune is to be free of/not affected by flooding for a given design flood event. The requirements generally include freeboard (an additional margin/height above the applicable flood level) to ensure adequate safety and consideration to design components.
What is flood immunity?
7
View the other councils we regularly work in.
Brisbane Logan Gold Coast Ipswich Moreton Bay Sunshine Coast Lockyer Valley