02-Mar-2011

A steady stream of landholders is taking advantage of help being offered by SEQ Catchments to assess flood damage landholdings. The assessment teams in the Lockyer, Bremer, Logan and Mid and Upper Brisbane rivers are assisting landholders with erosion and land management problems in the flood affected areas.

SEQ Catchments CEO, Simon Warner, said the teams were “providing advice and assistance where landholders experienced severe flood damaged and erosion.

“The flood event has resulted in major and long term impacts on the environment as well as on farmers’ ability to return to production.

“Significant damage has occurred to riparian vegetation and a large amount of sediment has been shifted. Our assessment teams are collating information that will allow us to prioritise what is required in the short and longer term and advise authorities on the size and cost of restoration needed.

“Some streams and creeks have widened by scouring and there is an enormous problem with debris.”

Among the problems faced by landholders are streambank erosion, bank slumping, loss of fencing and hectares of land missing where the flood has taken the land away.

Some 160 landholders have asked for assistance. A special desk set up at SEQ Catchments’ Ipswich office (contact Ben Barton or Apani Woods on 07 3816 9721 or mobile: 0488 713340, or at bbarton@seqcatchments.com.au) is coordinating the teams.