Now that the flood peak has come and gone, Horsham Rural City Council has been busy ensuring the city's drainage network can cope with potential rain events over the coming weeks – and residents are being asked to do the same.
In the lead up to the flood peak, many people placed sandbags over drainage pits in a bid to prevent floodwater from rising up from the river and entering their streets.
Council staff employed similar measures to protect stormwater wetlands, with pits connecting the river to retention pools such as the Wotonga Basin shut off to avoid backwash.
But with the river receding, now is the time to clear the drainage network in preparation for predicted rainfall.
Sandbags left in streets should be removed as soon as possible so that flash flooding is avoided.
While the Wotonga Basin is the largest stormwater reserve, HRCC's also manages stormwater river connections at Hamilton and Baillie Streets, as well as Peppertree Lane and Bennett Road.
Flows are controlled using large slides that block water movement.
The urban infrastructure team has now re-opened all slides so that stormwater can once again discharge into the river.
This mitigates the risk of flooding caused by sudden deluges.
With flood levels receding, sandbags blocking stormwater drains (as above) should now be removed.
The stormwater collected in Horsham is used to irrigate parks and reserves such as City Oval, Sawyer Park, and the Botanical Gardens.
