Chair of the Armidale Dumaresq Floodplain Risk Management committee councillor Margaret O’Connor said two studies which model probable areas of flooding have been completed and would soon be put on public display.

She said the reviews were aimed at keeping Council, emergency services and the community up to date with issues of critical planning and procedures of what to do during floods.

While modelling for a one in 100 year flood is being prepared for public exhibition next month, flood study maps demonstrate the city would be split down the middle if the water level was to rise. 

Cr O’Connor said this level of flooding was unusual but factored into possible plans for flood mitigation. 

She also stressed while Armidale could experience a massive flood, such as the floods seen in Queensland in 2011, the likelihood of that level of destruction was small.

“[Armidale] has a much smaller catchment [than Toowoomba] and the ground is more porous because a lot of it is farming land.

“Our job now as councillors is not allowing anything or put anything there that can change that … we want to aim to keep Armidale clean and open.”

Committee member and councillor Rob Richardson said the management plan was one step in avoiding the destruction of massive floods.

The topic was discussed at Monday night’s Council meeting. 

Cr O’Connor suggested the details of the floodplain be on public exhibition for 60 days