Detention Basin Emergency Action Plans
Cairns Regional Council owns and operates three separate and distinct floodwater Detention Basins – two in Kanimbla (Moody Creek Detention Basin 1 & Moody Creek Detention Basin 1A) and one in Edmonton (McKinnon Creek Detention Basin). They are designed to temporarily store water during heavy rainfall and release it through an outlet structure (drainage pipes) to help reduce the intensity of heavy water flows downstream.
The Detention Basins are classed as 'referable dams' and therefore regulated by the Queensland Government's Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers. As the owner of this dam, Council has a legislative requirement to inform people the PAR, so they can be prepared and know what to do in a dam-related emergency.
Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
In the extremely unlikely event that any of these detention basins fail, it is important that people living in the affected areas know what to do. In a dam-related emergency, everyone has a responsibility for their own safety.
Emergency Flood Information Guides
Council's Emergency Flood Information Guides (the Guides) explains the purpose of the detention basins, shows the location of the detention basins, and provides information about emergency alert services. The Guides also contain a removable emergency preparedness plan template and household emergency kit checklist, designed to be cut out and displayed in a high traffic area such as your fridge.
Residents living in the 'Hazard Zone' (area of potential impact in the event of a dam-related emergency) should use this guide to prepare, share and practice their own emergency plan by following these five key steps:
- Identify if your property is in a Hazard Zone.
- Plan your evacuation route.
- Create a Household Emergency Plan.
- Have a household emergency kit ready for the wet season.
- Monitor the weather during rainfall events and be prepared to act quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Council undertakes regular monitoring of the detention basin and carries out maintenance to ensure it is structurally sound. This is part of Council's legislative responsibility as a dam owner.
The Hazard Zone illustrates the potentially affected high-risk areas in the unlikely event of a dam-related emergency of the Moody or McKinnon Creek Detention Basins.
A dam-related emergency can occur for a range of reasons, such as water flowing over the top of the dam embankment during heavy rain, structural or engineering problems, damage to the embankment, or failure of key components like spillways. Any of these issues can lead to an uncontrolled release of water downstream.
Potential impacts include damage to property, people and/or the environment caused by flood water inundation.
Residents will be alerted to take suitable actions to prepare for, and respond to, a potential or actual emergency including to evacuate to higher ground when a dam-related emergency is imminent or has occurred. On receiving this notification, the safest thing to do is to take immediate action and if required, move to higher ground away from the Hazard Zone.
Various methods of communication are used to disseminate this information including email, website, mobile phone messagine and social media platforms e.g., Facebook. The primary platform for public notification is the Cairns Disaster Dashboard. This dashboard provides existing local contact and content including information about weather, safe locations, key road closures, and predicted impacts on critical infrastructure and services.
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| Police, Fire, Ambulance Emergencies only | 000 |
| State Emergency Service (SES) | 13 25 00 |
| Ergon Energy For power emergencies and urgent hazardous situations | 13 16 70 |
| Road and Traffic Conditions (TMR) | 13 19 40 |
| Health and Hospital Information (QH) | 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) |
| Water Supply Emergencies (Council) | 1300 69 22 47 |
| Non-emergency Situations | Police: 13 14 44 Ambulance: 13 12 33 |
| Cairns Regional Council website | cairns.qld.gov.au |
| Cairns Disaster Dashboard | disaster.cairns.qld.gov.au |
Last Updated: 31 March 2026
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