Qld govt can never flood-proof Brisbane

Queensland's government has a new plan to mitigate floods in Brisbane, but admits it can never fully flood-proof the city.

Water Minister Mark McArdle says new operation strategies for the Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dams will help protect up to 500 to 1500 buildings from flooding in the wet season.

The strategies involve dams storing more water and releasing water before heavy rainfall.

But Mr McArdle admits the three dams still can't mitigate flooding further downstream on the Lockyer and Bremer rivers.

"Clearly we cannot take the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich out of the rivers and catchments that help define them," Mr McArdle told parliament on Wednesday.

"There will always be a risk of flooding, indeed we cannot flood-proof Brisbane and Ipswich."

He said the government has been looking at potential new dam sites, which could provide further flood mitigation to Brisbane and Ipswich.