The threat of sea level rise impacting large areas of our coastline is a significant issue, with nearly 20% of our homes and 30% of our commercial buildings being located within one kilometre of the coast in WA.
To better inform and support local communities, a statewide inundation assessment has been undertaken as part of the CoastWA program, through a partnership between Department of Transport (DoT) and Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH).
The study identifies targeted actions for managing inundation hazards at 23 locations that will support and benefit future studies, works and local government Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plans (CHRMAP). The information can also be used by local managers to help secure funding through CoastWA grants programs and the Commonwealth’s Disaster Ready Fund.
The full inundation assessment report can be found on the DoT’s website.
The state-wide inundation assessment included the creation of a coastal seawater mapping portal that can be publicly accessed. The portal allows users to map the potential localised inundation extent, as well as to examine the inundation pathways to manage the threat.
Story and images supplied by Michaela Pilossof, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.