INDIVIDUAL TECHNICAL PORTFOLIO (INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT)

Individual Technical Portfolio (Individual Assessment)



Individual Technical Portfolio (Individual Assessment)

Introduction

The magnitude of rainfall in January 2011 took Queensland and the world by surprise. The unprecedented rainfall experienced in a relatively short period of time demanded to be further examined. This report is individual technical portfolio (ITP), aims to analyze the historical rainfall data of Cooyer within the Brisbane catchment.

Wivenhoe Dam has played a central role in managing the massive water flow into the Brisbane River catchment's area, and therefore, to urban areas. However, lessons learned from the 2011 floods suggest that future flooding events are likely and that there is a need for the proactive development of damage mitigation strategies. In particular, there is a need for strategies focusing on engineering infrastructure in flood prone areas (and flood plains) within the wider Brisbane region, where there is a significant flood risk and impact on urban services. This part of the problem will also be aided with the statistical analysis of rainfall data.

Brisbane

Brisbane, the third largest city port, is located in the southeastern part of Queensland, Australia. Lying astride the northern bank of the Brisbane River on the southern slopes of the Taylor Range, the seaport is miles (19 km) above its mouth at Moreton Bay. ('Brisbane' 2009) In 1823, the English first explored the site. In 1824, it was set up as a penal colony and later on in 1834, it was declared a town with the name of Brisbane to honour former governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane. In 1859, it became the capital of Queensland, in the 1920s, it was joined with South Brisbane to form Greater Brisbane. ('Brisbane' 2008) Water is supplied from Lake Manchester, the Mount Crosby Weir, and the Somerset Dam. The Brisbane River overflowed its banks, after a prolonged period of heavy rain, In January 2011, and caused the city's worst flood since 1974.

'Brisbane, Queensland, Australia' 2004, in The Collins World Atlas Gazetteer, Collins, London, United Kingdom

Floods in Australia

Flood is the occupation by water in areas that are usually free of it. It is caused by overflowing rivers, by heavy rainfall or snowmelt, or seas by the rise of tide above the normal level or landslides caused by tsunamis. Flood has immensely affected United Kingdom and Australia in the last decade. The recent Australian flooding categorically explicates the causes and effects of flood. Other than gigantic losses, caused to humanity in the form of myriad deaths, the flood causes enormous number of diseases and psychological stress (Baxter, 2008).

The floods in Queensland in December, 2010 and January, 2011 refer to a series of floods in north-eastern Australia, mainly in the region of Queensland. Thousands of people were evacuated from nearby towns and villages. At least 22 cities and more than 200,000 people were affected. Damage was estimated at over one billion Australian dollars. Large areas of southern and central Queensland had been affected by floodwaters. Approximately 300 roads were closed, including the nine major ...