Creek flooding alerts

Severe storms and flash flooding are a natural part of living in Brisbane. As Brisbane is built on a flood plain, it experiences different types of flooding ranging from river, creek, overland flow, king tides and storm surge. Heavy rainfall in a catchment may also have the potential to cause dams to spill.

Brisbane Severe Weather Alert

You can receive alerts if your property may be affected by creek flooding. To get these alerts you need to be signed up for the Brisbane Severe Weather Alert service. If your address is within the creek flood alert area/s you will automatically get creek flood alerts. View the map of alert locations.

Council strongly recommends you do not solely rely on these alerts and you use Council's other preparedness measures to better understand your flood risk. This will allow you to monitor, act and respond accordingly when the alerts are received.

Alerts are sent when rain and/or creek levels in a nearby creek system indicate your property may be at risk of flooding. This flooding may occur from heavy rainfall or tidal flooding. As the alerts are location based, warnings are only sent if your nominated address and/or mobile device location is at risk of flooding. The information provided by the creek flooding alerts is dependent on technology. 

To receive creek flooding alerts, register for Brisbane Severe Weather Alert

Creek flooding preparedness

One of the most common sources of flooding in Brisbane is creek flooding. Creek flooding is difficult to forecast as floodwaters can rise and fall quickly with little warning. Residents near creeks need to maintain awareness and monitor conditions. Rainfall runoff, tides and storm surge can cause creek levels to rise.

It is important to be prepared at all times to respond to possible creek flooding. See flooding support for residents to help you to prepare your home. An emergency kit can help. Keep your emergency kit in a waterproof container.

Rainfall and stream height information

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides rainfall and stream height information recorded from flood gauges located in the Brisbane area. This information is updated every 10-40 minutes and can be used to monitor creek conditions.

Find information about creek heights and flood classifications in your area as provided by the Bureau of Meteorology to determine any action you should take to stay safe.

Map of creek flooding alert locations

This map indicates areas where creek flooding alerts are available for subscribers.

An isolated community alert for flooded bridges is available for properties in Karana Downs, Kholo, Lake Manchester and Mount Crosby. Note: These alerts may not cover all properties in these suburbs.

Select the creek flooding alert location to find more detailed alert and flood information.

In flash flooding or tidal flooding events, the grey areas will receive alerts first. Purple areas will receive creek flood alerts in larger scale events that reach minor, moderate or major flooding classifications. Areas in blue are located along the Brisbane River and may receive alerts for river flooding (or flooded bridge alerts as is the case for Karana Downs). Red areas will receive alerts in river flood events that reach minor, moderate or major flooding classifications.

View the map of flooding alert locations in a larger map.

How to search for a property location in the map

1. Open the large version of the map
2. Click on the magnifying glass icon (to the right of the map name)
3. Enter the property address location into the search bar
4. Click on the applicable search result to move the map to that specific location

Frequently asked questions

Weather information

To keep you informed about weather conditions that may affect your property, the Bureau of Meteorology provides:

• recent rainfall information
• the latest Queensland Warnings Summary.