2010-2011 floods and cyclone recovery
Landscapes
Regional land rehabilitation
The natural disasters contributed to land degradation and large amounts of debris being deposited in waterways. Rehabilitating such land and building its resilience has been a joint effort with communities. This includes the state’s Regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies which receive funding from both the State and Commonwealth Governments. Regional NRM bodies play a crucial on-the-ground role in reconstruction. Their work in helping to restore rural properties, for example, has included:
- organising volunteer groups in the Murray-Darling region to help landholders repair fencing and carry out other work on properties around Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Dalby, Texas and other areas.
- organising volunteers to help landholders with weed control and fencing, using donated materials, around Lockyer, Bremer, Logan and mid and upper Brisbane rivers.
- Read more about the work of Regional NRM bodies in Queensland.
Marine health
In response to the floods, the Queensland Government worked with a wide range of partners to monitor and identify water quality and ecosystem health impacts on marine ecosystems in Moreton Bay, Great Sandy Strait and the Great Barrier Reef.
- Read more about the environmental recovery monitoring and flood impacts.
Protected areas
Rangers worked hard throughout 2011 to repair and reopen the 162 of Queensland’s 279 national parks which were significantly damaged by the disasters. This included repairing damage to access tracks, trails, campgrounds and other infrastructure in some of the state’s most visited parks such as Girraween, Byfield and Daintree National Parks.
- All of the 162 disaster-affected national parks were repaired and back up and running by the end of 2011
- Read more about the impacts of Cyclone Yasi on far north Queensland national parks.
- Check park alerts for the latest information on access, closures and conditions
- Watch video about national park recovery
Rangers and conservation officers also undertook escalated fire management and pest management programs across national parks to deal with the increased fuel loads and invasive species risks from the natural disasters.
Wildlife
Mahogany gliders
Mahogany glider habitat was severely damaged by Cyclone Yasi. The cyclone stripped vegetation, reducing food sources and the hollow limbs where the endangered marsupials live. DERM is working with partners to recover mahogany glider habitat and to support populations.
- Read more about the work to support mahogany gliders.
Turtles and dugongs
Turtles, dugongs and other marine animals have struggled to find food in the fallout from the floods and cyclones. Seagrasses are the major food source for turtles and dugong, and seagrass beds have become stressed by repeated periods of high turbidity and low salinity following flooding in coastal catchments.
These animals may become malnourished or sick, and are more vulnerable to boat strikes or becoming entangled in nets.
- Read more about the impacts and response to marine wildlife stranding.
Cassowaries
The rainforest fruits that cassowaries feed on in far north Queensland were wiped out from Cyclone Yasi causing food to be in short supply while forests re-grow. DERM’s Cassowary Response Team is working with the community and other partners to help ensure the survival of these animals.
- Read the latest cassowary response information including feed stations installed, fruit distributed and community involvement.
- Watch video about recovery of national parks and cassowary habitat.
Waste
Hazardous material containers
Containers and drums containing chemicals or other hazardous materials washed downstream in Oxley Creek, Stable Swamp Creek and Rocky Waterholes Creek on Brisbane’s southside as a result of the floods. A waste company was engaged immediately after to recover and dispose of all identified containers as soon as possible. Brisbane City Council also worked with waste management specialists on general waterway clean-up, including the removal of small and large flood debris from impacted areas.
The Rocklea industrial hazardous waste clean up was completed by the end of March 2011, with 2234 containers found, removed and appropriately disposed of.
The Contaminants in the Waters and Sediment of Oxley Creek report (PDF, 291K)* released in May 2012 outlines the water quality results obtained from the assessment of Oxley Creek and Stable Swamp impacted by the flooding.
The report found that metals and herbicide contaminants pose no risk to human health but could pose a low-level risk to aquatic ecosystems.
The 2012 report can be compared with reports from 2001 and 1998 which show similar or higher levels of metal contamination in Oxley Creek and Stable Swamp Creek sediments. In addition the older reports show the organochlorine pesticides which exceeded trigger levels. These particular organochlorine pesticides have now been banned for use in Australia and were not detected in the 2011-2012 sampling.
- Water Quality in Moggill, Oxley and Nundah Creeks: January 1998 to June 1999 (PDF, 1.1M)*
- Levels of heavy metals in the sediments of Queensland rivers, estuaries and coastal waters (PDF, 8.7M)*
Plastic irrigation tape
The 2011 floods resulted in substantial damage and dispersal of debris along a stretch of the Dumaresq River in the Texas-Riverton area, in south west Queensland.
Large quantities of plastic ‘trickle’ tape used in irrigation systems, which were both stored and in use on a large irrigation farm upstream, were strewn along a 12 kilometre section of the river.
In February 2011, a joint clean up effort was deployed in partnership with Goondiwindi Regional Council, the Queensland Murray Darling Committee and affected landholders.
- By the end of March 2011, 95 per cent of identified material had been collected, and the rest by the end of August.
- Between 250 and 300 tonnes of the plastic tape was recovered all up, and it was recycled by a Brisbane-based recycler.
Water and sewerage infrastructure
Water and sewerage operations
As part of a statewide assessment program, most of the state’s 389 streamflow gauging stations—which provide vital water resource assessment, planning and management information—were visited, assessed and either permanently or temporarily repaired, if needed. DERM also assessed more than 3566 groundwater monitoring bores, or two-thirds of the network.
- By April 2011, all water and sewerage services provided by councils were restored to Queensland communities, including more than 100 water supply and more than 80 sewerage schemes.
Post-flood contaminant monitoring
During the floods, sewerage treatment plants overflowed in the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers, contaminating waters and posing a public health risk. Local councils were unable to collect water quality samples in some areas in the immediate flood response, so DERM carried out an assessment of post-flood water-quality in the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers and Moreton Bay.
- Read more about DERM’s testing and results during this period.
Mining and industry
Transitional environmental programs
The natural disasters significantly affected Queensland's resource industry, inundating or damaging mine sites, manufacturing facilities and other critical infrastructure. An estimated three-quarters of the state's coal mines were flood-affected.
DERM worked closely with industry to ensure coal seam gas and mining companies operating outside of the conditions of their environmental authority (EA) as a result of flooding or inundation were bought back into compliance. This included the issuing of Transitional Environmental Programs (TEP) which allow a mine site to release excess water, within strict environmental conditions, to protect the health of waterways.
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Last updated 22 May 2012