Caravans and cars were washed away and houses and businesses were inundated. Livestock were drowned, roads damaged, crops destroyed and many kilometres of fencing washed away in a disaster that caused millions of dollars of damage around the town. 

The water was so deep in Bridgewater's main street that one man paddled through his family's house in a kayak. So much water made its way into a periodic wetland on one local farm that it lasted for about two years, and was used for water skiing.

Different options to reduce the flood risk in the town have just been released by the North Central Catchment Management Authority, for consideration by the community.

The Bridgewater Flood Management Plan recommends a package of works including the construction of levees and the establishment of an improved flood-warning system, to give people more time to respond before floodwaters arrived.

Under one option, a levee would be built along the eastern side of the river running for more than 1.3 kilometres. For most of its length it would be under one metre tall, but in two small sections it would be taller than 1.5 metres. The proposed western levee would run for about 640 metres.

The mayor of the Loddon Shire, Neal Beattie, welcomed the flood management proposals.

"An important part of the study is that the warning procedure will be a lot better, people will know a lot earlier what's coming," he said.

At its worst, the 2011 flood left about 40 per cent of the Loddon Shire under water, and had an enormous impact on communities like Bridgewater, he said.

"I have never seen a dollar figure on the damage, but it would be astronomical. We had to rebuild the (Bridgewater) Caravan Park and that cost $4 million, just on its own.

"Pretty much every business in town went under water.’’

Cr Beattie said at the time of the 2011 flood, one local business had just been established after a $600,000 investment. But after water inundated the business "he virtually had to start again".

Jolene Goulton, project officer at the NCCMA, said an improved flood warning system would be a huge improvement. "I think it's critical. If people have enough warning then they can make a decision about how best to keep themselves and their families safe, they can prepare their properties," she said.

Dr Goulton said the results from the study would give the Bridgewater community a better understanding of floods, as well as floodwater mitigation options and accurate and timely warnings. 

"There's a lot that can be done to improve flood warning and flood extent and depth in Bridgewater," she said.