| FLYER ISSUE 3: MARCH 2023 | |
NEXT FMA MEETING: THURSDAY 25 MAY AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE, SYDNEY
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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The National Conference is fast approaching and this is very exciting time for Floodplain Management Australia. Our Conference is the highlight of the calendar each year and this year is no exception; outstanding keynote presentations, innovative and informative workshops and presentations, and our special dinner speaker Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, ensure it is one for the books. I'm looking forward to catching up with you in Sydney and hearing about the milestones you've accomplished over the past twelve
months. The
Excellence Awards are a Member favourite of the Conference, and allow us to showcase the incredible hard work you have put in, and how you are shaping the landscape of flood risk management for the betterment of our communities. If you haven't put in your nomination for the Excellence Awards yet, I encourage you to do so now. Head to floods.asn.au/ea for more information. If you haven't registered for the Conference yet, you can now at floodplainconference.com. See you in May, ID
Ian Dinham | FMA President
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FMA NATIONAL CONFERENCE UPDATE |
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The FMA National Conference is now only 7 weeks away. The Conference will be held at Luna Park Venues on Sydney Harbour from 23 – 26 May and is promising to be our most exciting event to date. Join us by registering online now at floodplainconference.com. The FMA Excellence Awards deadline has been extended.
The Awards will now close on Monday 3 April at 11.59pm to allow more time for our Members to prepare their nominations. The
winners of the 2023 Excellence Awards will be announced at the Gala Excellence Awards Dinner at the FMA National Conference.
The Excellence Awards are split into three categories:
FMA IAG Flood
Risk Management Project of the Year - Nominations will be open to any current Full, Associate, Corporate, Professional, Individual or Student FMA Member. The project must directly relate to FRM in Australia.
What is the Prize?
Winner - $10,000 cash prize to be used for a purpose related to flood risk management or flood risk education plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper
Highly Commended – An FMA National Conference and Workshop Registration for 2024 plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper.
FMA-Allan Ezzy Flood Risk Manager of the Year - Nominations will be open to any current FMA Member, or individual who is an employee or representative of an FMA Member.
What is the Prize?
Winner – A Full Three Day Registration to the 2024 FMA Conference and Pre-Conference Workshops, plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper.
FMA IAG Young Floodplain Manager of the Year - Nominations will be open to any current FMA Member, or individual who is an employee or representative of an FMA Member, who is a current Member of the Young Floodplain Managers network.
What is the Prize?
Winner - A Full Three Day Registration to the 2024 FMA Conference and Pre-Conference Workshops, plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper. The Prize is valued at up to $1250 (based on Full Member pricing).
Get your nominations in before 3 April 2023. You can download the information and nomination forms
at floods.asn.au/ea.
For more information on the Conference itself, visit floodplainconference.com
A reminder for Members:
The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, please ensure that you make a point of attending so we can achieve a quorum. The Notice of Meeting will be emailed in the coming week, and printed business papers will be available at the Conference. |
HEC-RAS TRAINING RETURNS TO THE CONFERENCE |
A highlight of the 2017 FMA Conference, the full day training course in HEC-RAS returns to this year’s Conference Program. This intensive, interactive workshop will explore the new features in HEC-RAS Version 6.3. Attendees will build a flood model using HEC-RAS, and participate in workshop exercises including the application of terrain modification tools to add obstructions, levees, and drains, allowing impacts on flood levels to be assessed.
Instructors are HEC-RAS expert practitioners Mark Forest from HDR,
and Krey Price from Surface Water Solutions.
The course is one of the Pre-conference Workshop options which also include: - a guided bus tour from the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley to Warragamba
Dam
- an overview presentation of research into the NSW and Queensland floods
- a discussion of the scale and coverage of “unprecedented” flood events across different areas of Australia over the last few years.
Details are at: floodplainconference.com/preconfworkshops |
FMA POSITION POLICY ON FLOOD INQUIRY RECOMMENDATIONS |
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In February the FMA Executive called for Expressions of Interest from FMA Members to prepare the FMA Position Policy on Recommendations of the NSW Independent Flood Inquiry. The project will involve liaising with nominated FMA Members, synthesising the views of Members into a draft Position Paper for review by the Executive Committee, and finalising the Position Paper. The final draft Policy Position will be provided to the Annual General Meeting at the National Conference in May. Following the review of proposals, Water Modelling Solutions (WMS)
has been appointed to undertake the project. |
2022: AUSTRALIA'S NINTH-WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD |
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The Bureau of Meteorology’s Annual Climate Statement shows 2022 was the ninth-wettest year on record since 1900, with above average rainfall for the
country as a whole. There was, however, considerable variation across regions. Persistent rain on saturated catchments brought significant flooding to large parts of eastern Australia at multiple times throughout the year. In 2022 the area-average
annual total rainfall was 587.8 mm, 26% above the 1961–1990 average of 466.0 mm, making it the ninth-wettest year on record for Australia (compared to all years since 1900). Most of mainland Australia experienced above average rainfall, with the
south-eastern quarter of the mainland, excluding the southern coast of Victoria and the south-east of South Australia, seeing very much above average. Australia's area-averaged mean temperature for 2022 was also 0.50 °C above the 1961–1990
average, with maximum temperatures and extreme heatwave conditions in some parts of the tropics during August, September, October and December. For more see: http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/ Looking forward, the Bureau says that for April to June, below median rainfall
is very likely to be (60% to greater than 80% chance) for the majority of Australia. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently neutral, however an El Niño WATCH has been issued. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is also currently neutral
although models suggest a positive event could form in the coming months. When the main climate drivers are neutral, cool-season rainfall in southern Australia has generally been lower than average over recent decades. The Bureau’s Climate
Outlook updates are at: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks/ |
NSW PUBLIC WORKS JOINS AS A PLATINUM SPONSOR FOR CONFERENCE |
NSW Public Works (NSWPW) has come on board as Platinum Sponsor for the 2023 FMA Conference. “After many years supporting FMA Conferences as an exhibitor, we are delighted to sponsor the 2023 conference,” said NSWPW Group Director Advisory and Partnerships Allan Gear. “The FMA Conference is the leading event on flood risk in the country, bringing together councillors, council staff, government and specialist industry representatives to discuss all aspects of flood risk management.” NSW Public Works is the government agency providing expert advice and overseeing the delivery of some of NSW’s most crucial projects. “We can assist clients to plan for and manage flood risk across towns and villages, together with new and existing developments,” said Mr. Gear, who has been the FMA Deputy President since May 2019. “NSW Public Works’ state-wide network of experts can assist clients and grant funding recipients undertake the planning, design and procurement, and project management of complex flood-related studies and delivery of associated infrastructure.” “We’re excited to be so deeply involved in the conference this year, after years of significant flooding that has affected many parts of the whole country, especially regional NSW,” he said. Learn more: visit https://www.publicworks.nsw.gov.au/ or the NSW Public Works exhibition booth at the Conference. |
LGNSW: WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS TOMORROW |
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LGNSW invites you to attend the Water Management Conference 2023 in Parkes, NSW from 26-28 June. The conference aims to bring together key industry stakeholders to learn about practical solutions to water and sewerage management to explore the issues and challenges facing local water utilities today and into the future. Delegates will have the opportunity to: - Learn about the latest water
policy initiatives and government priorities
- Discover ways to address the critical skills shortage and training opportunities
- Learn how to mitigate climate volatility
- Discuss emerging technical issues, and
- Explore innovation and technology in the sector.
View the program or register today for special member early bird discounts https://bit.ly/3Jx0rhd |
HAROLD STERNBECK - CESSNOCK HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE |
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Harold J Sternbeck AM was active in FMA from 1972, Chairman from 1991 to 1999 and Deputy Chairman in 2003 to 2004. A fierce negotiator on all things flood-related, especially the politics of funding allocations, Harold was the first person
awarded Life Membership of FMA. Harold passed away in 2010. James Harvey, long time business associate of Harold, has advised that Harold is to be inducted by Cessnock City Council into the Cessnock Hall of Fame. “Harold’s passion for floodplain management and all things riparian was a key focus for him over the years and he loved nothing more than taking up the challenge of securing focus and funding for identified projects, during his time working alongside the board
members at the Hunter Catchment Management Trust and FMA” Mr Harvey said. “To have the annual medal issued in his honour is certainly testament to his determination and diplomacy.” |
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YFM Networking Function at the FMA National Conference KBR are hosting a YFM Networking Function following on from the Welcome Reception at the Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney from 7pm and would like to invite you to attend. Please note the Greenwood Hotel is approximately 15min-20min walk from Luna Park (delegates are required to make their own way to and from the Greenwood Hotel). The evening will include grazing style food and beverages
and is included in conference registration. Please contact East Coast Conferences with your full name if you have any inquiries. Thank you to KBR for their
generous support in sponsoring this event. For more on the Young Floodplain Managers network, visit floods.asn.au/yfm |
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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
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FMA New South Wales/ACT Chapter Meeting Dates for 2023
Thursday 25 May - Annual General Meeting at the National Conference, Sydney Thursday 17 August - NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting at Sydney Thursday 16 November - NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting at Sydney. FMA Queensland Chapter Meeting Dates for 2023 Thursday 25 May - Annual General Meeting at
the National Conference, Sydney Wednesday 9 August - Queensland Chapter Meeting at Brisbane Wednesday 8 November - Queensland Chapter Meeting at Brisbane. ASFPM Conference, 7 - 11 May, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA FMA National Conference, 23 - 26 May, Sydney,
NSW Queensland Disaster Management Conference, 30 May - 1 June, Brisbane, QLD
LGNSW Water Management Conference, 26-28 June, Parkes, NSW |
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TRAVELLING CAPS AND BEANIES
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