Rous County Council has cleaned up drainage systems in Woodburn and Coraki as part of its flood mitigation work.
Coraki and Woodburn have ‘town drains’ which drain floodwaters from the villages. These drains do not prevent flooding but rather reduce the length of time of inundation.
The drains were mechanically cleaned using an excavator, removing vegetation and silt from the drains and debris from previous flood events.
Woody weeds including coral trees and camphor laurels, have also been removed from the banks to provide a clearer channel for greater flow.
Rous flood mitigation manager Chrisy Clay said local contractors did the work.
Rous County Council chair Robert Mustow said both villages bore the brunt of the catastrophic 2022 floods and it’s great to see this investment in these local drainage systems.
Rous is responsible for a network of 190km of drains and canals in the Northern Rivers.
The work in Woodburn and Coraki is about making the flow and function of the drains work better and give a quicker recovery after flood events.
The $150,000 project is funded by the Australian Government’s National Emergency Management Agency and administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program.
It is one of 36 projects being delivered to help communities withstand and recover from future disasters.
The information in this report was provided by Rous County Council.
