Residents of Howe and Lenne Sts still searching for answers after floodwater finally recedes

The Clarks’ back fence was the main way for residents to get out of Howe St, which was under water for nearly two weeks during October’s floods.

Now, with the water down, residents are still seeking answers for an issue which has been lingering in the area since the early 1970s, when the area was first subdivided.

Tracey didn’t want her last name used, and many residents in Howe St wanted to stay completely anonymous to speak candidly about their disappointment with councils across the decades.

“We have had to do a lot of work that should have been council’s responsibility,” — George Williams, speaking to the News’ Bill Ayres in 1975 about flooding. Residents today say those issues are yet to be fixed.

When the News visited, most residents were livid with Greater Shepparton City Council and Rodney Shire Council, which took in Mooroopna but not Shepparton, and was dissolved in 1994.

“That water should be gone,” Tracey said.

“We had water from two days before the floods came, the water didn’t drain away from those two days of rain before the floods, so we’re really at 11 days.

“Fortunately, our house is multi-level, our living levels are upstairs.

“It tripped the electricity, we’ve only got limited power.”

Chris and Jenny Clark built their Howe St home in the mid-1970s, with a power pole out the front bearing two marks on it, a few inches above the ground.

One marked the 1993 floods, an one slightly higher, the 1974 marker.

So, Mr and Mrs Clark build their home — as did many who moved in after them — half a foot or more above the 1974 flood level.

The marker for 2022 is nearly 1m above the 1974 marker, meaning the Clarks have had to tear up carpet for the first time.

The week after the floods, Howe and Lenne Sts were a mess, with mud over the road and residents in the process of throwing out nearly everything they owned — electronics, carpet, couches, the very walls of their homes.

In the background, the sound of pumps slowly draining the water could be heard as residents sloshed about in gumboots.

The pumps caused considerable angst during the floods as residents faced up to 1m of water through their homes which simply wouldn’t drain back into the river.

“It would have been 1m deep at least out on the road, it was only at day 13 or so we were able to see the road,” Mrs Clark said.

One of her neighbours, who didn’t wish to be named, sent a letter to what was then Rodney Shire Council in the wake of the 1993 floods.

He said he built his house above the 1974 flood level, a few years after that flood, with “no regulation” at the time about where you could build.

He said the house was fine in 1993, but was completely cut off from a few days before the flood due to water rising out of drains — the same thing which happened last month.

A letter from Rodney Shire Council general manager Royden James on November 2, 1993, acknowledged the drainage issues and said “I can assure residents that they have council’s full commitment overcome these serious flooding problems”.

“Council shares your concern regarding the serious effects on property and the health of residents as a result of the build up of storm water which remained at high levels for many days,” the letter stated.

Residents of Howe and Lenne Sts said that commitment hadn’t been matched by Greater Shepparton City Council since.

In October 1975, News reporter Bill Ayres spoke to residents who had water lapping at their doors three times in a week and were “sick and tired of nothing being done”.

“We have had to do a lot of work that should have been council’s responsibility,” George Williams told Mr Ayres.

“But they’re being very apathetic so we have to do something.”

In 1975, the water was rising after every rain storm.

Mrs Clark said the same thing still happened and the riverine floods were far worse than elsewhere across Greater Shepparton.

Mrs Clark said she “didn’t know when the water was going to stop” rising as floods hit.

Her house got some water in it, which was the first time in 35 years it had been close to getting wet.

“We couldn’t leave the house so I don’t know if council was doing anything or not.

“As far as we’re aware, there didn’t seem to be anything done until the last couple of days.”

Greater Shepparton City Council infrastructure director Gary Randhawa said council was investigating the current condition and performance data of the stormwater network in Mooroopna “to understand and plan where improvements can be made to be more prepared for and minimise the impacts of future flooding events”.

"The data we are verifying will inform future design and construction drainage upgrade projects,“ he said.

“Along with future potential improvements, interim and immediate mitigations solutions are also being explored and will be considered.”

Mr Randhawa acknowledged water began rising in low-lying Mooroopna areas earlier than in other parts of Shepparton, and said council began pumping water “as soon as possible”.

“Additional pumps were sourced however competing needs from other areas meant that not all resources could be applied to one area.

He said council was exploring options for additional portable stormwater pumps that could be used to assist in future flooding emergency situations for at-risk areas such as Lenne and Howe Sts.

Council has met with community groups to discuss stormwater drainage inquiries across the Greater Shepparton areas and said the Lenne and Howe Sts were a “high priority” for council, and it was working towards future drainage upgrades.

Mr Randhawa said the drainage investigation and designs that council planned to undertake would explore and highlight additional mitigation which could be considered.

“It is fair to say that significant budget allocation would be required to fix the drainage issues identified across the council during the 2022 floods and it would be unrealistic to expect these works to be done in the short to medium term.”