Upper Lachlan Shire Council will undertake a review of its flood response at Gunning late last month.
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General manager Colleen Worthy has conceded there were aspects the council could have done better after an 80mm to 100mm deluge flooded the town's main street on October 31.
The council came under fire at a November 5 community meeting where some accused it of 'a lack of coordination.' The RFS was first on scene, pumping out water from business premises, but the SES didn't arrive until later. Several said they had no idea who the council's local emergency operations manager was and an evacuation point was not identified until later in the night.
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Gunning couple, Karen and Dennis Waters, were adamant that blocked stormwater pipes near their home and a "choked up" Meadow Creek nearby, were major factors.
Mrs Water said she arrived at her Warrataw Street home at 5pm that day to see a torrent of water coming Copeland Street opposite.
"There was no emergency warning...One minute it was at the corner and within 15 minutes it was inside the house," she said.
The couple's three-bedroom house, a rear 'granny unit' occupied by Dennis' elderly father, Bob, and a rear shed were inundated. In some places the water was "almost two feet high," they said.
All their furnishings and many of their belongings are gone. Four vehicles and a ride-on lawn mower in the shed were also destroyed.
Mrs Waters said the RFS turned up first and was "amazing." The SES followed later and did everything they could.
The couple and daughter Breea, and son, Jake, were firstly moved into an Airbnb at Bungonia before shifting to a rented premises in Gunning.
"There are a lot of people worse off than us. At least we have insurance," Mr Waters said.
But the couple believes blocked stormwater drains contributed to the flooding. Mrs Waters said she'd called emergency services 16 times since 2010 "to save us" following heavy inundation in the street.
Her husband, who worked for Upper Lachlan Shire Council for 33 years, argued Meadow Creek at the rear was "choked up" with elm trees and other vegetation, which impeded water flow on the night.
"It hasn't been cleaned out in years," he said.
Mrs Worthy said the review, with SES and RFS, was aimed at improving the emergency response and reducing impacts of future "extreme weather."
Infrastructure director Leon Kruger's review of the water's movement that night will include the community and hydrology experts. A report to the council stated this was aimed at finding improvements, particularly for low-lying houses.
The GM said a 2017 Gunning flood study would be reviewed for any "deficits." But she told The Post the sheer volume and pace of water over a short period was the key factor. Mrs Worthy stressed that the river did not break its banks.
Others at the November 5 meeting also said the water was coming from "three directions" and believed Meadow Creek was not the main factor.
Mrs Worthy told The Post that while the SES was the lead agency on flood response, the council's recovery phase could have started earlier than Monday, November 7.
"If we had, it would have reduced the community angst (at the meeting)," she said.
However she and Cr Kensit had spoken to every person affected about their needs. The organisation was also working with Resilience NSW and a recovery assistance point had been established in the town. A support day, coordinating key agencies was held on November 10 at the Gunning hall.
The council had also removed flood refuse, was working with residents on development applications for affected premises, undertaking building assessments, food inspections and had started a flood appeal.
At a recent council meeting, Cr Lauren Woodbridge, a Gunning district resident, said there was "a lot of confusion" on the night about what was happening and who was the lead agency.
"I want an assurance that will be recognised in the review. I also note that the community is not included in the review. Why?" she asked.
Mrs Worthy said while while SES and RFS was leading it, the council would seek people's opinions on what worked and what didn't.
She expected the review to happen quickly.
Meantime, Cr Susan Reynolds argued that the SES had insufficient numbers to form a team at Gunning and therefore it could not have been the lead agency in a flood response.
"Therefore, leadership, particularly in the early hours, was lacking and that's where a lot of angst came from," she said.
"This will be an ongoing issue because the volunteer ranks there are next to nothing. The RFS is the main group out there dealing with fire, floods and rescues and this is something we need to take into account."
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