This book uses scientific analysis to show reduction of flooding is being neglected.

It is an anti-memoir that focusses on events rather than on the author. After summarising the Brisbane River floods in 1893, 1974, 2011 and 2022, the book analyses how  flooding is caused and could be reduced, from the author’s point of view, living on the flood plain at West End. It reveals how the balance of recreational benefits for a home near the river, would be offset by higher costs of a flood-free location, or alternatively by higher cost for repair of flood damage.

His traditional Cartesian analysis does not discover how to reduce flooding. His phenomenological analysis, which he explains with Heidegger’s philosophy, finds flooding is being worsened with obstruction of flow by erosion on farms, by river sediment accumulation, by construction of bridge support islands, by encroachment into the river of jetties and piers and by new building on the river flood plain. 

Mitigation of flooding by construction of river dams has been reduced by cyclonic rain falling randomly downstream of dam catchments. Further dams could be unattractive. The chance of a catastrophic rainfall event is small but it is real, as is also climate change.

Public transport crossing the river is already concentrated in a narrow corridor through South Brisbane and could be worsened by major flooding.

This book could lead you to ask: ‘Which public authority is responsible and what is being done about these problems?’

Brisbane River Anti-Memoir is available on Amazon. Author’s blog: martinknox.com