Thank you for signing our petition, your support is greatly appreciated and is an important step towards reducing the impacts of flooding along the Maribyrnong.
We have received some questions centered around 'why a retarding basin, how does it differ to a dam?' so we thought we'd provide a short explanation.
Following the major flooding event of 1974 a number of reports were produced which suggested that a retarding basin upstream could be a very strategic solution to reducing or eliminating the impact of flooding along the Maribyrnong River.
This option was pursued for some time and eventually in the early 2000's with the pressures of drought was evolved into a 'dam' to serve multiple purposes. We all remember the days when we could only water our tomato plants twice a week!
The Age: Libs eye dam plan to plug water fall
Unfortunately when feasibility studies were conducted for the dam, the solution had some shortfalls. Specifically, because dams store water year round they naturally attract wildlife like birds which could have posed bird strike safety concerns for the flight paths at Melbourne Airport. Shortly after these discussions the dam idea was dismissed and the retarding basin idea was never revisited.
So how does a retarding basin differ?
Retarding or retention basins play a critical role in mitigating the effects of heavy rainfall and reducing the risk of downstream flooding. They are designed to temporarily store excess water and slow the release of stormwater into nearby rivers and streams. This not only helps to protect property and infrastructure, but can also enhance the overall health of our water ways.
Searching the internet you are able to find that Melbourne Water's website references the 'important role [retarding basins] play in reducing flood risk to local homes and business.' As well as information about the many benefits of retarding basins including a very helpful video of how they work. More information can be found at the below link:
Melbourne Water Website - Retarding Basins
We hope that you will continue to spread the word. The more support we have, the stronger our voice will be in advocating for this important issue.
More information can be found at https://maribyrnongfloods.com/timeline/
Thank you again for your support.