Flooding did not trouble many of the early settlers, however as urbanisation intensified, the percentage of area that is unable to absorb water has increased.

This has resulted in more frequent and larger instances of overland flooding. Most of the City of Whitehorse is fully developed and is now undergoing a phase of redevelopment, with increases in population density and intensification of land use, particularly along the main transport routes.

As a result, the potential for flood risk has increased. The key flood risks are associated with relatively short and intense rainfall events of a few hours duration.

Water level rises through Whitehorse tend to be quick following a heavy rainfall event as major watercourses in the municipality are all at stages of their upper catchments. As such, flooding may impact along the Whitehorse area stretches of Gardiners, Koonung, and Mullum Mullum creeks generally with quick rises and falls, with the exception of Dandenong Creek which can see slow water movement and prolonged inundation because of the relatively flat topography.