An application of Integrated Water Resource Management principles to flood risk mitigation in Mossman, North Queensland, Australia

As the economic and political center of Douglas Shire in Far North Queensland, Australia, the Mossman Township plays an important role in the development of the region. To allow for the economic and population growth of the town, the local authority has developed strategies to expand the residential and industrial zones closer to the Mossman River. However, these areas are frequently affected by fluvial floods that are exacerbated by the confluence of the two Mossman tributaries, South and North. In addition, the frequency and intensity of floods is likely to increase under the impact of climate change. To minimize flood risk in this area, the State and Local Governments have a coordinated approach to implement measures to address the issue. However, these measures have limitations and it is difficult to achieve all of their intended objectives. To support the Mossman authorities in improving flood resilience, this study combined the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management and Flood Risk Management to identify and assess measures to achieve flood risk mitigation. This study proposes a range of measures that may enable the region to reduce the exposure and vulnerability of the affected population to flood hazard. Subsequently, these measures were evaluated from different perspectives including risk index, financial cost, and the environmental and social impact of each. By using a new methodology for flood risk assessment that considers exposure, vulnerability, and tolerance of the community to flood risk, this study determined that the current flood risk level in Mossman is high. To reduce the high‐risk level to low, three measures were proposed: land use change, the construction of flood levees, and a flood forecasting and warning system. The study found that the implementation of each measure alone does not minimize flood risk effectively, especially within important zones such as residential areas, the town center, and critical roads. It was also found that relying on just one measure impacts the economic, social, or environmental conditions of the study area significantly. The simultaneous implementation of three measures is, therefore, perceived to be necessary. The combination of measures determined by using Integrated Water Resources Management principles enables the region to mitigate flood risk effectively, and also provides an opportunity to balance benefits and cost economically, environmentally, and socially. 摘要 作为澳洲北昆士兰州Douglas Shir