Rous County Council (Rous) has completed works to improve drainage systems in the villages of Coraki and Woodburn in the Northern Rivers.

The purpose of the project is to enhance the drain’s flow and function and allow for a quicker recovery after flood events – benefitting local residents, businesses and communities.

Delivered by Rous, the $150,000 project was funded by the Australian Government’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP).

It is one of 36 projects being delivered under the $150 million NRRRP, which aims to drive long-term resilience and ensure communities are better equipped to withstand and recover from future disasters.

Coraki and Woodburn have ‘town drains’ which are one of the main pathways that floodwaters drain from the villages. These drains do not prevent flooding but rather reduce the length of time of inundation.

Rous surveyed both drains to better understand how they function and what works would be required to improve their operation. The systems 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.

(Woodburn Town Drain before and after improvement– “A section of Woodburn Town Drain, to the south of the village, showing the improvements made to the system. Photo: supplied)

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said these works are an important step to better-protecting communities in the Northern Rivers.

“Improving drainage systems and removing debris is an easy and practical way to help reduce the risk of any future floods,” she said.

“The Albanese Government is working with all levels of government to help ensure communities in the North Coast are better prepared for the next flood.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said clearing the drainage systems in the villages of Coraki and Woodburn would help build resilience for a future flood event.

“This is a really practical example of a project that will positively impact these communities and lead to less flood inundation time following floods,” she said.

(Coraki Town Drain before and after improvement– “A section of Coraki Town Drain, close to the Coraki temporary housing village, showing the improvements made to the system. Photo: supplied)

“It is also a positive example of three layers of government working together to implement flood mitigation measures following the floods of 2022.”

Robert Mustow, Chair for Rous County Council, said: “Both villages bore the brunt of the catastrophic 2022 floods and it’s great to see this investment in these local drainage systems.”

Chrisy Clay, Flood Mitigation Manager for Rous County Council, said the work had been completed with the assistance of locally based contractors.

“We are very grateful for the funding made available through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program and the assistance of the NSW Reconstruction Authority in completing these works,” she said.

“The improvements to the Coraki and Woodburn town drains are an example of the work Rous does to manage and maintain its large network of rural flood mitigation infrastructure.

“This network includes 190km of drains and canals, which are highly valued by floodplain landowners and residents for the service we provide.”