Riverine flooding information for the South Esk River, Macquarie River and Back Creek

Longford can have riverine flooding from the South Esk River, Macquarie River and Back Creek. The levee system was constructed to protect Longford and mitigate against rare flooding events of the South Esk River.

The map shows the expected Major Flood levels in the Longford region. This level of event has about a 1% chance of happening any year (1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP). You are likely to experience a flood of this size in your lifetime.

A 1% AEP event is the limit of flood mitigation provided by the Longford levee system. Above this level there will start to be flooding within the levee protected area.
In the event of levee gate closure at Tannery Road access to the north is closed, and some streets off Wellington Street to the east. This will include the installation of some temporary levee structures. An alternative flood access plan will become activated during a major flooding event.

During a Major flooding event there are three alternative routes that can be used according to the height of the floodwaters, and closure status of the levees:

• Route 1 (Green) – Before closure of Illawarra Road vehicles can travel out of Longford via Wilmores Lane (Opposite Austral Bricks), turn right onto Bishopsbourne Road and turn right onto Illawarra road towards Perth, or left to the Bass Highway. This route may be closed considerably earlier than the flooding risk by Tasmania Police.
• Route 2 (Purple) – When Illawarra Road to the east of the Longford town entrance becomes closed, vehicles can travel out via Wilmores Lane, turn right onto Bishopsbourne Road and turn left onto Illawarra Road and travel north to the Bass Highway.
• Route 3 (Orange) – When Illawarra Road is closed to the east and west of the town entrance, vehicles can travel out via Wilmores Lane, turn right onto Bishopsbourne Road and continue along the road to Carrick (Meander Valley Road), and then onto to the Bass Highway.

Even if your home is not inundated, you may be isolated for several days. You should have supplies for up to three days and be prepared for power and telecommunications outages. Note if you are isolated, you may not be able to access medical or other help if needed.

Are you at risk of flood?

Longford has a long history of flood events. Examples of past flooding events around Longford include the following.

• The first recorded major flooding event for Longford was during 1823, with extensive flooding reported across the Northern Midlands region.
• The major flood event of 1863 was reported as a larger event than 1929 flood event.
• The 1929 flood is the highest Major flood level officially recorded with extensive flooding of Longford. This was an estimated 1% AEP flood event.
• The 1969 flood recorded extensive flooding and was before the modern levee structure. This was an estimated 3% AEP flood event.
• During the 2011 and 2016 flood events the Northern Midlands Council closed some levees as a precaution.

What should I do?

• Check the map to see whether your home or business is likely to be at risk during a flood.
• Check if you might not be able to safely get to your home, work, or school during a flood.
• Prepare a Home Emergency Plan. Consider if you need to evacuate before a flood.
• Assess your home or business and prepare it to minimise possible flood damage.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Forecasts, Warnings, and Observations

BoM issues a Flood Watch when predicted weather might cause floods in one or two days. A Flood Watch may

• be for a specific area such as Longford.
• be for the South Esk River, or Macquarie River.
• be generalised such as for the Central North forecast area.

BoM issues a Severe Weather Warning for very heavy rain that may lead to flash floodingwhenever this weather is occurring or is expected in an area. The amount of time between the warning and the arrival of the heavy rain can vary from an hour to 24 hours or sometimes more.

BoM issues Flood Warnings with specific flood heightsfor the South Esk River at Longford gauging site with warnings of flood heights. Flood warnings can be issued for Minor (3.5m), Moderate (5.0m) and Major (7.0m) flood levels.

No two floods are the same. Floods like the one shown in the map or worse will occur again.

If you live in a low-lying area you may be at risk of flooding. Even if your home is safe, you may need to detour around flooded areas. Never drive through or enter flood waters.

Knowing what to do can save your life and help protect your property. Preparing a Home Emergency Plan is one of the best ways to prepare.

Include weather and rainfall triggers for action in your Home Emergency Plan.

Understand the warnings and key information

Keep aware of what is happening around you. Check forecasts, observations and warnings regularly.

• TasALERT.com
• your local ABC radio station or
• the Bureau of Meteorology’s website.

	Advice (Yellow): an incident has started. There is no immediate danger. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.
	Watch and Act (Orange): There is a heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family
	Emergency Warning (Red): An Emergency Warning is the highest level of warning. You may be in danger and need to take action immediately. Any delay now puts your life at risk.
	Community update (Blue): Specific information and updates for affected communities regarding a particular event or incident.
	Incident (White): an incident is the initial occurrence of an event before it becomes an emergency warning. As soon as an incident is reported, TasALERT published basic information including the type and location of incident.

Flood levels at Longford

While no two floods are the same, the following table shows what you can expect at different flood levels around Longford. Even if your property is not flooded, you need to think about access routes.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Forecasts, Warnings, and Observations

BoM issues a Flood Watch when predicted weather might cause floods in one or two days. A Flood Watch may

• be for a specific area such as Longford.
• be for the South Esk River, or Macquarie River.
• be generalised such as for the Central North forecast area.

BoM issues a Severe Weather Warning for very heavy rain that may lead to flash floodingwhenever this weather is occurring or is expected in an area. The amount of time between the warning and the arrival of the heavy rain can vary from an hour to 24 hours or sometimes more.

BoM issues Flood Warnings with specific flood heightsfor the South Esk River at Longford gauging site with warnings of flood heights. Flood warnings can be issued for Minor (3.5m), Moderate (5.0m) and Major (7.0m) flood levels.

No two floods are the same. Floods like the one shown in the map or worse will occur again.

If you live in a low-lying area you may be at risk of flooding. Even if your home is safe, you may need to detour around flooded areas. Never drive through or enter flood waters.

Knowing what to do can save your life and help protect your property. Preparing a Home Emergency Plan is one of the best ways to prepare.

Include weather and rainfall triggers for action in your Home Emergency Plan.

Flood levels at Longford

While no two floods are the same, the following table shows what you can expect at different flood levels around Longford. Even if your property is not flooded, you need to think about access routes.

A minor flood means

• Floodwaters largely contained to the river channel with some minor breakouts into adjacent areas.
• Livestock should be moved from the lowest lying areas
• No closure of the levee system is required.
• Woolmers Lane can become closed.
• Woolmers Lane can become closed due to flood within the Macquarie River catchment only, or from a flood from the upper areas of the South Esk River.
• There are no buildings at risk of inundation.
• Floodwaters may not reach the levee system.

A Moderate Flood means

• Floodwaters spill over riverbanks and covers larger areas of land.
• Livestock and agricultural equipment should be moved from low lying land
• Temporary levee walls and gates commence being installed.
• Flood height may reach the lowest areas of the levee protection
• Closed road routes such as:
  • Bishopsbourne Road
  • Pateena Road
  • Tannery Road
  • Woolmers lane.
• Buildings may be impacted by floodwaters on Pateena Road, Tannery Road and Bishopsbourne Road.
• Isolation of properties can occur along Pateena Road
• The Longford Caravan Park, Longford Bowls Club, Cairns Park, Mill Dam Reserve and buildings outside the levee protected area may become inundated.
• Floodwaters may reach the levee system.
• Closure of gates within the levee system.

A Major Flood means

• Widespread flooding into the floodplain
• Livestock and agricultural equipment should be moved to the highest areas available.
• Some landholders may need to move stock from the floodplain to another property.
• Deployment of temporary levees, and full closure of the levee system.
• Floodwaters are extensively against the levee protection.
• Closed major roads:
  • Illawarra Road
• Closed road routes such as:
  • Bishopsbourne Road
  • Pateena Road
  • Woolmers lane.
  • Tannery Road
  • Tannery Road South
• The levee system provides protection to a 1% AEP South Esk River flood event.
• If overtopping occurs from a larger flood event homes and properties within the protected area will become inundated.
• Residents within the levee protected area will be evacuated if expecting a flood greater than 1% AEP.
• If the height of the flood is predicted to be above the maximum level of levee protection, then identified properties at risk receive:
  • Evacuation Standby Notification, and progress to
  • Directed Evacuation

Know your risk, get ready, reduce risk where you can, connect with others, stay alert and act safe.

Before a flood

1. Know your risk

Flooding often happens in Tasmania and can cause widespread and significant damage. In the past 200 years there have been 78 flood related deaths in Tasmania. This guide is to help you understand flood risk in your area.

2. Prepare your household

Have an emergency plan that covers storms and floods

Thinking about what you would do in a storm or flood means you are more prepared and everyone is safer. Have an emergency plan that everyone in your household understands. There are checklists to help you think through your plan – see the SES website or Red Cross Rediplan.
Check your plan regularly and test it by everyone in the household thinking through a flooding scenario that may affect your household.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

Regularly test batteries in radios and torches.

3. Reduce your risk from flooding where you can

• Think about storms, flooding and other hazards when buying, maintaining or developing property.
• Trim or remove trees and branches overhanging your home, business or near powerlines on your property.
• Keep your gutters and drains clear.

4. Connect with others

Know your neighbours and get involved in your community.  A connected community is a safer and more resilient community in an emergency and can help everyone recover better afterwards. Check that family and neighbours are safe and aware of what’s happening.

During

5. Keep up to date

Keep aware of what is happening around you. Check forecasts, observations and warnings regularly. 

• TasALERT 
• your local ABC radio station or
• the Bureau of Meteorology’s website.

6. Act Safe

• Supervise children.
• Prepare for possible power, water or internet outages.
• Check your emergency kit is ready to go.
• Keep clear of flooded areas such as drains. NEVER walk, play, ride or drive in floodwater. You can’t always see what is under the water or how deep or fast-moving the water is. It is easy to be swept away and drown in as little as 20cm of fast-moving water. Flood water can be dangerous.

When your home may be flooded

• Put household items up high to minimise possible damage.
• Turn off the electricity and gas if it is safe to do so. 
• A great way to stop sewerage flowing back into your home is to place sandbags inside plastic bags and use them to block toilets and cover drains and sinks.
• Leave while you can get out safely.

If you need to evacuate

• Follow the advice from SES / Tasmania Police.  
• Take your emergency kit. 
• Go to friends or family in a safer place or an evacuation centre. 
• Let others know where you have gone.

Look after your animals

You are responsible for your animals in an emergency. If you have pets and other animals it will take you longer to evacuate in a flood or other emergency. Move livestock from flood prone areas well before flood waters may rise.  For more information see

• RSPCA’s guidance on preparing for animals in an emergency
• Huon Valley Council’s advice on preparing an emergency pet plan
• the Primary producer farm flood readiness toolkit.

Avoid travelling during storms and after storms

• Do not go sightseeing. Sightseers delay emergency services and cause accidents.
• Watch out for hazards such as
  • water over roads
  • damaged powerlines
  • landslides
  • damaged roads
  • falling trees or roofing iron.
• Never drive through flood waters. Most deaths and rescues in floods are from people driving through flood waters.
• Drive slowly and turn your headlights on roads not affected by flood waters.

After

• Keep listening for ABC Local Radio updates, road re-openings, community meetings, etc.
• If you left your home, do not return home until SES or Tasmania Police tell you it is safe to do so.
• Be aware of road hazards, such as mud or debris on the road, damaged roads/bridges and crews working on clean-up and repairs.

If your home has been damaged

• Stay at ground level while checking for damage. Be careful of fallen trees, broken glass, loose roofing or other hazards.
• Wear strong boots, gloves and protective clothes. 
• Use a torch, never use matches or candles inside flood affected buildings. 
• Boil all drinking water until you are told the tap water is safe again.
• Do not turn on it is tested by a licensed electrician or gas fitter for safety.
• If your home is damaged and you need to stay somewhere else, take your emergency kit and pets with you
• Take photos of any damage if safe for you to do so and contact your insurance company.
• Supervise children.
• Check neighbours are okay.

For further information go to www.ses.tas.gov.au

Staying informed and further information

Current warnings (TasAlerts) alerts.tas.gov.au

Bureau of Meteorology

Emergency Broadcasters ABC 936AM

TASSES Social Media

facebook.com/sestasmania

twitter.com/sestasmania

Preparing for Flood Emergencies ses.tas.gov.au/plan-prepare/flood 

Northern Midlands Council               northernmidlands.tas.gov.au              6397 7303

northernmidlands.tas.gov.au/community/your-community/flood-bushfire-information

National Relay Service (NRS) relayservice.gov.au