The investment required to address current road transport sector risk is significant. Much critical infrastructure has been constructed without adequate consideration of severe hazard and the implications of disruption to transport systems. This is particularly so for flood hazard and how this might be exacerbated by changing climate. In this presentation a recently completed collaborative case study is described that has taken a historical flood on the Haughton River floodplain south of Townsville, assessed the broader impacts of that event, and then forecast how these could change with changing climate.
Significantly, the project has brought together the domain expertise of four organisations to model key elements required for the study that have been integrated into a more holistic picture of flood impact in the region. Specifically, the collaborative work has drawn on the observational and climate science of the Bureau of Meteorology, the flood routing capability and highway repair knowledge of the Queensland DTMR, the impact and resilience capability of Geoscience Australia and the transport system modelling capability of CSIRO.
The case study has highlighted the vulnerability of transport sector assets to flood hazard exposure, along with the implications of transport supply chain disruption for the wider community and economy. Furthermore, it emphasises the necessity of considering a broader perspective on the benefits and costs associated with reducing the impacts of natural hazards.
