Risky Environments: Governance and Adaptation for Future Flood Risk Rhiannon Niven BSoc Sc (Psych) – The University of Adelaide, South Australia BEnv St – The University of Adelaide, South Australia BEnv Policy Mgt (Hons) – The University of Adelaide, South Australia Department of Geography, Environment and Population School of Social Sciences Faculty of Arts University of Adelaide Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2017 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. i List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ ii Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iii Declaration ................................................................................................................................ iv Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................v Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 1.1 Challenges for flood management .....................................................................................1 1.2 Theoretical framework ......................................................................................................3 1.3 Purpose and scope .............................................................................................................3 1.3.1 Research context .........................................................................................................3 1.3.2 Research aim ...............................................................................................................4 1.3.3 Research significance .................................................................................................4 1.4 Thesis structure .................................................................................................................5 1.5 Chapter summary ..............................................................................................................5 Chapter 2: Conceptualising flood risk ....................................................................................6 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................6 2.2 Defining key concepts .......................................................................................................6 2.2.1 What is a flood? ..........................................................................................................6 2.2.2 Types of flooding ........................................................................................................7 2.2.3 Definition of risk and hazard ......................................................................................8 2.2.4 Risk theory ..................................................................................................................9 2.2.5 Resilience and vulnerability .....................................................................................14 2.2.6 Mitigation and adaptation .........................................................................................15 2.3 The history of management of flooding ..........................................................................18 2.3.1 Flood defence through to flood risk management: a risk based approach ...............18 2.4 Governance of flood risk .................................................................................................22 2.4.1 Government and governance ....................................................................................22 2.4.2 Governance across scales .........................................................................................24 2.5 Risk perception ................................................................................................................25 2.6 Key issues for management: failure of the current paradigm? ........................................27 2.6.1 Climate change .........................................................................................................27 2.6.2 Urbanisation ..............................................................................................................29 2.7 Study rationale .................................................................................................................30 2.8 Chapter summary ............................................................................................................31 Chapter 3: Research design and methods .............................................................................32 3.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................32 3.2 Research design ...............................................................................................................32 3.2.1 Qualitative research ..................................................................................................32 3.3 Methodology ...................................................................................................................33 3.3.1 Grounded theory .......................................................................................................33 3.3.2 Case studies ..............................................................................................................34 3.4 Methods and data collection ............................................................................................39 3.4.1 Interviews .................................................................................................................39 3.4.2 Document analysis ....................................................................................................44 3.4.3 Data analysis .............................................................................................................45 3.5 Triangulation and validity ...............................................................................................46 3.6 Limitations ......................................................................................................................46 3.6.1 Potential bias .............................................................................................................47 3.7 Chapter summary ............................................................................................................47 Chapter 4: South Australia and the Brown Hill and Keswick Creek Experience ................49 4.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................49 4.2 Local context: case study background ............................................................................49 4.2.1 The BHKC catchment ..............................................................................................50 4.3 Governance of flood risk management in the BHKC catchment ....................................54 4.3.1 Governance framework for BHKC ...........................................................................57 4.3.2 Development of the BHKC SMP .............................................................................60 4.3.3 Challenges for effective flood management: governance and implementation .......66 4.4 Adaptation in the BHKC catchment ................................................................................70 4.4.1 Risk perception .........................................................................................................71 4.4.2 Adaptation for urbanisation and infrastructure .........................................................71 4.4.3 Relocation policies ...................................................................................................72 4.5 Key findings ....................................................................................................................74 4.6 Key themes and chapter summary ..................................................................................75 Chapter 5: 2011 Queensland flood event ..............................................................................77 5.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................77 5.2 Local context: SE QLD flood history .............................................................................78 5.2.1 The 2011 flood event ................................................................................................80 5.2.2 The flood event impacts ...........................................................................................84 5.3 Issues and lessons learned from the 2011 SE QLD flood event .....................................86 5.3.1 Resulting reviews and inquiries ................................................................................87 5.3.2