Properties in Katherine North will be better protected from flooding as the Territory Labor Government releases the first stage of tender for the construction of the flood mitigation embankment and wall levees.

Budget 2021 has $10 million allocated to the Katherine Flood Mitigation works.

The recommended measures for the flood mitigation will:

• increase Katherine’s flood resilience; and
• improve flood protection of Katherine residential areas in flooding events up to a 1 in 20 year event.

Flood modelling has identified that the levee banks and upgraded drainage will provide the greatest reduction in flood impact for the smaller flood events.

The final levee works includes a combination of earth embankments, concrete walls and a temporary levee for road crossings.

The northern section flood levee is the first stage of works and will:

• run from the northern side of Knotts Crossing Resort and Caravan Park, near the old Katherine Airstrip, along the eastern side of Katherine Town to the Stuart Highway; and
• prevent overflows from Lockheed Drain during the 20 year (72 hr) flood event.

The second stage of works in Katherine South will be a separate tender anticipated for release in 2022.

Extensive consultation has made up the scope of the design.

To view the tender for the northern section flood levee works, please visit https://tendersonline.nt.gov.au.

Quotes from the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Eva Lawler:

“The Territory Labor Government is progressing the Katherine Flood Mitigation Project with a tender for construction of the flood mitigation embankment and wall levees released this month.

“We remember the Katherine flood in January 1998 where more than 1,000 square kilometres were covered in water. This government does not want see something like that again.

“Investing in this project will not only support jobs and local business, it will also protect residents, their properties and their businesses into the future from flooding events."