Liverpool waterfront flooding fix a complex issue

No matter which way you look at it, fixing the Liverpool waterfront flooding issues will take millions of dollars and is likely years away from happening.

Region of Queens Council heard a presentation on Tuesday from CBCL, the company hired to look for solutions on the Liverpool waterfront flooding. The parking lot was built over existing piers and infilled at a level that is just over a metre above normal high tide.

The company said projections show sea levels could rise as high as 2.5 metres by the year 2100. This would flood the parking lot every high tide, instead of just during storm surge events as they happen today.

Three main solutions were presented, constructing a Seawall, raising the parking lot and water street, or relocating the businesses that will be flooded out as sea levels continue to rise in the coming decades. These range in cost from around 2 and a half million to move businesses up to nearly 10 million dollars to build a seawall with a pumping system.

CBCL representative Colin Fisher said a seawall or raising the parking lot would only be temporary solutions, and the flooding issues would return in 50 years as levels continued to rise. He said adapting and planning for the change makes better sense.

“As far as the parking lot goes, it’s hard to recommend building a wall,” he said. “I think the most responsible thing to do is retreat and adapt.”

Council will review the presentation before deciding what direction to take from here.