THE floodproofing of a large residential section of Lithgow has made a significant leap forward with the completion of the latest stage of the Farmers Creek program.
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A team from Peters Earthmoving last week moved the last of the ‘rock baskets’ into place in the new retaining wall.
Council’s Operations Manager Iain Stewart said council was well pleased with the standard of the work which will provide added protection for the residents of Hermitage Flat in peak flood time.
Farmers Creek has not breached its embankments since the initial stage was completed more than three years ago, despite some very heavy downpours that would have led to at least some degree of flooding in the past.
The latest stage of the program involved doubling the width of the channel from Watsford Oval through to the eastern side of Albert Street.
It linked up with stage one previously completed behind the showground and which included a new footbridge.
Mr Stewart said the latest work was completed slightly behind schedule after asbestos was discovered in old fill being excavated on the southern side of Farmers Creek.
He said this had no doubt been buried at that location since the concrete canal was first concreted more than 80 years ago.
Mr Stewart said there now only remained some ‘tidying up’ of the work site to be completed.
The next stage of the flood mitigation program will be from Albert Street through to Sandford Avenue but there is so far no timetable for this work.
The multi million dollar floodproofing program is being jointly funded by the NSW Government and Lithgow Council.
