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Floodplains

Rural Floodplain Management Plans

Policy & Legislative Framework

DNR is responsible for the preparation of rural floodplain management plans and the licensing of flood control works in rural areas of western NSW designated under Part 8 of the Water Act, 1912.  These rural plans represent the principal initiative for the delivery of better floodplain management in western rural areas.

Rural plans are developed along similar lines to council plans in urban areas by following the floodplain risk management process outlined in the Floodplain Development Manual 2005. However, urban plans (by Council) and rural plans (by DNR) have different applications.  The land use planning recommendations of an urban plan form the basis for updating council’s Environmental Planning Instruments under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 while rural floodplain management plans form the basis for determining flood control works under Part 8 of the Water Act, 1912.

Note:  The Water Management Act 2000 will eventually replace Part 8 but will include regulations relating closely to those covered by the Part 8 amendments.  The transitional provisions of the Water Management Act 2000 will allow Part 8 plans to come across as Minister’s plans.  Furthermore, Part 8 plans comply with the floodplain management principles and the floodplain management planning provisions of the new Act.  Part 8 plans also address the targets of the State Water Management Outcomes Plan by mapping major flowpaths and identifying and dealing with barriers to floodplain connectivity to support the functions of flood dependent ecosystems such as wetlands.

Key Rural Floodplain Management Plan Outcomes

Rural floodplain management plans under Part 8 of the Water Act, 1912 provide the basis for approving private flood control works.  These rural plans are developed to achieve the following key outcomes:

Floodway networks for management of floodwaters

  • allows effective passage of floodwaters
  • delineates major flood flow-paths and flood dependent ecosystems
  • minimises flood risk by providing guidelines for flood protection of arable land
  • removes barriers to riverine and floodplain connectivity to protect and enhance flood dependent ecosystems and fish passage
  • provides remedial solutions to resolve hydraulic & environmental “hot-spots” using a strategic and risk management approach
  • provides assessment criteria for regulating existing and future flood control works within floodway networks

These outcomes are designed to benefit rural communities allowing farmers to plan for future sustainable development based on a strategic scheme for the management of floodwaters so as to:

  • minimise flood damage
  • enhance productivity of agricultural land
  • maximise State’s return on infrastructure
  • maintain natural flow distribution as close as possible
  • protect the floodplain environment

Current Rural Floodplain Management Plan Program

The current rural floodplain management plan program for the development of these rural plans commenced in 1998 with 11 study areas.  Since then the studies have expanded to encompass some 30,000 square kilometres of inland NSW which includes floodplains in the Namoi, Gwydir, Lachlan, Macquarie, Murrumbidgee, and the Central Murray Valleys.  Figure 1 shows the spatial coverage of rural plans completed (12) and in progress (8). It is proposed to progressively develop rural floodplain management plans for each of the State's key inland floodplains.

Table 1 lists completed plans and those currently being produced.

Funds totalling $6 million (1997 – 2005) have been procured from various Commonwealth and State funding programs to prepare rural plans. The Natural Heritage Trust, Natural Disaster Risk Management Studies Program (NDRMSP), Natural Disaster Management Program (NDMP) and the State Assisted Floodplain Management Program have all provided funding.

Table 1: Rural floodplain management plans currently being produced

For further information relating to the studies and reports associated with each of the plans and projects below, please contact the relevant DNR office

Floodplain Management Plan Area
(km^2) 		Progress to 30 June 2006
Namoi River : Narrabri to Wee Waa 750 Gazetted
DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office
Namoi River: Carroll to Boggabri 1250 Gazetted
DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office
Gwydir River: Moomin Creek 1250 Completed
DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office
Gwydir River: Biniguy to Moree 500 In progress
DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office.
Gwydir River : Lower Gingham Watercourse 300 Gazetted

DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office
Liverpool Plains: six (6) sub-catchment areas being investigated 6000 Blackville - Gazetted.
Breeza-Caroona – Gazetted
Upper Yarraman – Gazetted
Upper Coxs Ck – Gazetted
Lower Coxs Ck – In progress
Warah Ck – In progress DNR contact: DNR Tamworth Office
Macquarie River : Narromine to Oxley Station 2560 Gazetted 5 December 2008 - see www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ruralfloodplains/fmp/macquarie.htm
DWE contact: DWE Dubbo Office
Lachlan River : Gooloogong to Jemalong 1000 In progress
DNR contact: DNR Dubbo Office
Lachlan River : Jemalong to Condobolin 2000 In progress
DNR contact: DNR Dubbo Office
Lachlan River: Lake Brewster Weir to Whealbah (Hillston) 1600 Gazetted
Sheet 1 (PDF File, 15Mb)
Sheet 2 (PDF File, 15Mb)
Sheet 3 (PDF File, 15Mb)
Sheet 4 (PDF File, 15Mb)
Sheet 5 (PDF File, 15Mb)
Sheet 6 (PDF File, 40Mb)
Sheet 7 (PDF File, 41Mb)
If you are unable to download the sheets please contact the DNR Dubbo Office
Murrumbidgee River: Hay to Maude 500 In progress
DNR contact: DNR Deniliquin Office
Tuppal & Bullatale Creek: Murray River offtake to Denilquin 1700 Gazetted
Figure 4.1
Figure 4.2
Figure 4.3
Figure 4.4
Figure 5.1
DNR contact: DNR Deniliquin Office
Edward & Wakool Rivers:
four (4) staged areas being investigated 		6600 Noorong Road to Wakool-Murray Junction (Stage 4)
Gazetted (PDF file, 639 Kb)
Figure 1 (PDF file, 1.4 Mb)
Figure 2 (PDF file, 1.3 Mb)
Figure 3 (PDF file, 552 Kb)
Figure 4 (PDF file, 700 Kb)
Figure 5 (PDF file, 1.2 Mb)
Figure 6 (PDF file, 1.3 Mb)
Figure 7 (PDF file, 14 Mb)
Figure 8 (PDF file, 9 Mb)
Figure 9 (PDF file, 13 Mb)
Figure 10 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 11 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 12 (PDF file, 10 Mb)
Figure 13 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 14 (PDF file, 10 Mb)
Figure 15 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 16 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 17 (PDF file, 12 Mb)
Figure 18 (PDF file, 10 Mb)

Deniliquin to Moulamein (Stages 1, 2 & 3) - In progress

If you are unable to download the figures or the report please contact the DNR Deniliquin Office
Billabong Creek: Walbundrie to Jerilderie 2500 Gazetted (PDF file, 4Mb)
DNR contact: DNR Deniliquin Office
Total coverage area 28,510