See the Tasmanian flood maps to find out if your property is at risk of flooding. Use this information to
- get ready, and
- reduce your risk.
If your home could flood, your emergency plan should include when and how you will leave your home for your safety. See also
- your local flood guide, and
- a guide to Get ready for emergencies (Get ready for emergencies – PDF version).
Even if your home is not prone to flooding, your access routes may be cut. You should still get ready for floods.
Knowing if your property can flood helps you make decisions about buying or making changes to property.
How to access the flood maps
You can access the flood maps for free in several ways.
- Local flood guides for your area include the flood maps.
- Go to LISTMap – the Land Information Tasmania – to see flood extent maps.
- You will need to scroll in to see the flood mapping. The maps show flood depth as a default. To see other flood data, click on ‘layers’ in the top right corner, and tick, or untick options for
- water level
- depth
- velocity
- hazard level (depth x velocity)
- You can access flood maps for different levels of flooding.
- If the links above do not work, or you would like to see more details
- Go to LISTmap – Land Information System Tasmania
- Click on the ‘Layers’ button at the top right of the screen.
- Click ‘Add layer’ at the top right of the screen.
- In the search box, enter TSFM
- Use the green plus icon to add layers to the map. We suggest you start with 1.0 Percent AEP Depth Riverine Flooding
- Maps will also soon be available via the RiskReady online tool at TasALERT.com.
What the flood maps show
The flood maps show the probable extent of flooding that has a
- 2%, 1% and 0.5% chance of happening any year in the current climate (Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP)) or
- a 1% chance of happening in a future climate in the year 2100.
A 1% AEP is the same as a 1 in 100-year flood.
The maps include some information about the hazard associated with flood based on how deep the water could be and how fast it could be moving at that site (depth and velocity).
The flood maps cannot precisely predict the extent of future flood events. Flood extents can differ due to
- Uneven rainfall across a river catchment
- River levels and soil moisture before the event
- Snow melt and tide.
Every flood event is different. The flood maps indicate which areas are more likely to flood.
The flood maps focus on riverine flooding risks (flooding from river rises). Properties may also flood due to storm water run-off if there is very heavy local rain; this is only partially covered in the flood maps.
The maps have information about
- depth – how deep the water could be
- velocity – how fast it could be moving at that site
- water elevation/ level
- how dangerous (hazardous) the flooding could be, based on depth and velocity.
There are six hazard levels.
| H1 | Generally safe for vehicles, people and buildings. |
| H2 | Unsafe for small vehicles. |
| H3 | Unsafe for vehicles, children and the elderly. |
| H4 | Unsafe for vehicles and people. |
| H5 | Unsafe for vehicles and people. All building types vulnerable to structural damage. Some less robust building types vulnerable to failure. |
| H6 | Unsafe for vehicles and people. All building types considered vulnerable to failure. |
Do the maps cover the whole state of Tasmania?
Most of Tasmania is covered by these flood maps but there are some areas where SES needs more information, including some parts of the following municipalities.
- West Coast
- Circular Head
- Huon Valley
- Derwent Valley
- Central Highlands
- Waratah-Wynyard
- Flinders Island
- King Island.
SES is working to extend the flood maps to these areas.
What if a local council has better flood mapping than the Tasmanian Strategic flood maps?
Where available, people should use maps from local council flood studies. They typically have more local detail.
The Tasmanian Strategic Flood Maps provide a broad, regional scale understanding of flood risk across the state. Local council flood studies focus on specific areas. They often
- use more locally specific data
- provide a higher level of detail.
However, not all areas are covered by local flood studies. Some local flood studies may
- be outdated
- not include the area of interest, or
- use a different methodology than the SES modelling.
To understand the relevance and status of local flood studies for your area, contact your local council. Where no local studies are available, use the Tasmanian Strategic Flood Maps.
Why SES developed the flood maps
The State Emergency Service (SES) developed the Tasmanian Strategic Flood Maps (TSFM) to help understand flooding that is
- likely to occur
- will have an impact, and
- needs to be managed.
This information is for
- individuals and households
- communities
- businesses, farmers
- Local Government
- the Tasmanian Government.
Tasmania has a history of flooding. Some parts of the state are more prone to flooding than others. The flood maps support
- the SES Storm and Flood Ready program, and
- land use planning advice.
The maps inform actions to
- Minimise risk to life and improve community safety
- Reduce flood damage to property and infrastructure
- Ensure that land use and development are not exposed to unacceptable levels of risk
- Improve emergency response in flood emergencies
- Minimise the disruption to the economy caused by flood
- Encourage businesses and individuals to take action to prepare, plan, respond and recover from flood
- Support future recovery from floods.