Murray Floodplain Management Plan open for feedback
Residents across the NSW central Murray region are invited to have their say on key elements of the draft Murray Floodplain Management Plan, an important tool to manage rural flood works and their valley-wide effects on flows and connectivity.
Floodplain management plans set the rules for flood work applications within declared floodplains. Flood works include roads, channels, dams or levee banks that can change the way water flows to or from a river or change the way water moves during a flood.
Once developed, the Murray Floodplain Management Plan will be used as a guide to coordinate what types of flood works can be constructed and where. It will do this while balancing the needs of communities, landholders and the environment, and protecting cultural and heritage sites.
In this first round of public consultation, open until 30 June, we are inviting the community to give feedback on key elements that will inform the development of the draft plan.
These include the proposed floodplain boundary, the historical flood events used for modelling, cultural and heritage sites, ecological assets, and local variances to some rules, such as the maximum height for access roads.
It also includes the proposed floodway network (areas with high flow and areas important for the temporary storage of water).
We encourage residents and stakeholders to read the Report to Assist Public Consultation and book an appointment with department staff to ask questions and learn how to make a submission.
For more information and to book an appointment, visit: Murray Floodplain Management Plan
The department is leading several important programs across the Murray region, including the Reconnecting River Country Program. If funded and delivered, it will enable water to be used flexibly for the environment by removing constraints, which will increase the frequency and extent rivers connect to their wetlands and floodplains.
The Reconnecting River Program does not directly form part of our work to develop the Murray Floodplain Management Plan. However, both teams are working together to deliver the best outcomes for local communities and the environment.
We will release the full draft Murray Floodplain Management plan as part of a second round of public consultation later this year.
The draft is one of four Floodplain Management Plans being developed in the southern Murray-Darling Basin.
It is a key part of our work to modernise and replace 10 outdated plans with new valley-wide plans across the Murrumbidgee, Murray, Billabong Creek and Lachlan valleys.
The plans will include larger areas of the floodplains and connect the four valleys. They will also work to protect important wetland areas that were not previously covered.
We will continue to work closely with the community as we develop these plans and will consider all feedback carefully before plans are finalised.
NSW DCCEEW Executive Director of Water Planning, Giselle Howard, said:
"We're inviting locals and people with a direct interest in the Murray Floodplain to book an appointment to learn more about the plan and to give feedback on key elements that will inform its development.
"It's important to have your say now as the plan will be locked in for 10 years once it's finalised, so this is the time to share your views.
"We know communities and the environment were severely impacted by extreme flooding across the Murray and much of the southern Basin in 2022.
"This is another reminder why this work is so vital. The way we manage our rural floodplains plays a key role in maintaining healthy communities and environments, especially during weather extremes.
"We want to hear from the entire community. Your input is critical in helping us build a plan that will apply across the Murray floodplain for the decade to come because we know that local people understand water challenges first-hand."
