“Floating walls” are among the measures being proposed to save Stonehaven from future flood misery.
The plans were unveiled by engineers in the town’s leisure centre at a public consultation event which will run until noon on Saturday.
“Floating walls” are suggested as a solution in some areas of the town a wall within another wall which raises up with the water level.
This would mean the town’s historic setting, its views and amenity are preserved, where a permanent wall of the necessary height would be less sensitive to its surroundings.
It is also proposed that several local bridges would be raised and at the Green Bridge, where this is impractical, a new bridge would be built.
But angry residents disrupted the exhibition on Wednesday and warned that business and homes are set to be swamped again this winter unless urgent action is taken now.
Organisers of a 500-strong petition were gathered before the doors opened calling for immediate measures to ease the free flow of the River Carron and provide effective water escape when it is in spate.
Some residents were evacuated for the second time in three years when the Carron burst its banks in December, just days after a severe storm.
In the last year there has been extensive work on a flood prevention scheme including hydrological modelling, topographic, structural, environmental and ground investigation surveys.
The overall aim of the proposed scheme is to protect Stonehaven from devastating floodwater, while preserving its characteristics.
Principal engineer Rachel Kennedy said: “We feel the work we’ve done so far on this significant project has helped us come up with some innovative solutions to the problems.
“The engineering solutions are harnessing technology while addressing the local environment and respecting the built heritage.
“We really do want to hear what people think about these proposals, to enable us to progress with confidence towards an effective solution for the town and start work on the ground.”
The officers’ preferred scheme includes direct defences that minimise visual impact, and solutions that retain existing trees where possible.
The use of flood storage has been ruled out, as following investigation of five sites no one location has sufficient storage.
“We’ve been told it could take up to six years for the council scheme to be up and running, and in the meantime we have to sit back and wait for our homes and workplaces to be flooded again,” said businessman John Briggs, whose Persian rugs showroom has been flooded twice with the loss of thousands of pounds worth of stock.
“The council scheme is going to cost millions of pounds. The work we want done could be done in days and cost just £50,000 to £60,000.
“It was the council that blocked off the old mill lade and culvert. We want that reopened to full use.
“The council blocked off the seaward wall at 32A High Street. We want that reopened to give water an effective escape. The council blocked the mouth of the Carron. We want that reopened to give the burn a free flow out to sea.
Resident Frieda Burns, whose home has been flooded twice, said: “Although we realise the importance of a major flood defence scheme, there are things that need doing now that would greatly help. People were carried out of their homes during last winter’s flood.
“If it happens again there is every possibility somebody could die. The worry of all of this is seriously affecting the community’s mental health.”