Client: Hume City Council

Project Summary:

Afflux Consulting were engaged by Hume City Council to conduct a flood investigation of the catchment surrounding Denham Court Westmeadows where significant flooding events have been occurring. This involved detailed analysis of the Council’s current minor and major drainage system.

Due to old relics of past development standards, the overall drainage network was outdated and did not convey the minor storm. This resulted in flooding through several properties and various complaints over the years. 

TUFLOW was used to understand complex water movement through the neighbourhood. Many scenarios run to offer the client a suite of mitigation options.

Project Recommendations:

Of the many solutions available, the most cost effective was to move stormwater away from residential areas by guiding flows along the road network. This is often current practice for new development.

Specific recommendations to Council involved understanding hydraulic processes within the network, and as such included:

• Additional drainage ‘arms’ to divert flows upstream of high risk areas.
• Increase pipe capacity to 900mm along key roads and avenues, as well as introducing a steeper pipe grade through this area to improve capacity.
• Proposed catch-drain within an existing residential easement to retard minor flows .
• Ensuring the pit to the rear of 5 Denham Court is capped closed.
• Strengthen Future OSD policy requirements in the area.

Key Features and Innovations:

• Working within an established catchment, and limitation on Council resources.
• Integration of XPSTORM hydrology and TUFLOW to a built environment.