The New South Wales Government has completed significant levee repair works to help safeguard Morpeth and the surrounding community from flooding.
Crews have now fully rebuilt a section of the Morpeth Levee, part of the Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme, after major flooding significantly eroded the infrastructure in 2021-2022.
The site is now stronger than ever, thanks to funding from the New South Wales Government to carry out emergency repairs and permanent restoration works to the damaged sections of the scheme.
Victorian Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, said, “The Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme is a lifeline for local communities, safeguarding more than 250,000 people and their properties from flooding events.
“We know this region is flood-prone, and the scheme’s network of levees, floodgates and spillways gives the community confidence that they can weather the next storm.”
The complex restoration involved multiple barges along the Hunter River carrying 48t long-reach excavators to place more than 25,000t of rock along a 280mstretch of riverbank.
Crews used innovative technology to position larger rocks from 60 to 100cm underwater to strengthen the levee’s foundation and placed smaller rocks between 40 and 70cm along the upper embankment to reinforce the levee’s integrity.
“We committed to repairing this infrastructure and investing in its upkeep, with teams onsite six days a week to fix the damage and place more than 25,000t of rock onto the levee,” Ms Jackson said.
With the permanent repairs now complete, Maitland City Council can reopen Brisbane Fields Road without the load limit restrictions that have been in place since emergency stabilisation works were first carried out.
Member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison, said. “It’s fantastic to see this significant reconstruction project finalised, which will continue to keep thousands of residents, properties, and infrastructure safe.
“These repairs also mean that load limit restrictions can be lifted, and local drivers can feel confident that Brisbane Fields Road is flood-protected, stable and safe.”
Morpeth Levee is one of 14 scheme locations damaged due to previous flooding, and the New South Wales Government is continuing repair works on these sites.
Read more on the Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme.
Image: Ben/stock.adobe.com
