FROM the moment the first raindrop hits the ground, residents of Surfrider Caravan Park in Barrack Point prepare the emergency flood kit and get ready for evacuation.
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After the floods of March 21, 2011, when the park was inundated with water that reached chest height, residents feel they have been "left out on a limb" regarding future flood planning for the area.
Over the past four years Shellharbour City Council has been working on finalising a Flood Management Plan for the area, originally estimated to take three years.
Frustrations are mounting among residents and park management because plan proposals have been pushed back until August this year.
"We can't be left out on a limb or we'll just float off if there is another flood," resident Marie McCormick said. "Every time it rains I get out my gumboots, raincoat, mobile phone and torch and keep my eyes on the lake.
"Most people living in this park are elderly and we're all on our tippy toes. How long do we have to wait until something is done?"
Ms McCormick formed a flood committee for the park residents which included a notification and evacuation process in the event of a flood.
The Elliot Lake - Little Lake Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan reports were presented to the committee on March 19 and a council spokesperson said the council was finalising the meeting minutes to go up on the council's website.
"The delivery of the Elliot Lake - Little Lake Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan has been delayed due to the extensive amount of data collection undertaken for the study, altered scope of the study and long flood model run times associated with model calibration during the modelling stages of the study," the spokesperson said.
Park owner Barry Creary said the delay had prevented him from being able to start improvements to the park.
"I'd like to raise the cabins up, but council won't give me a flood height until the report is done," he said.
"Council promised they would do something to relieve the problem and we were told investigations would take three years and still nothing has happened."