Improving Floodplain Connections program

Managing impacts

Structures likely to alter the flow of floodwater on or across a floodplain are called flood works. Flood works can alter the flow of floodwater and cause social, economic, environmental, and cultural impacts. Ensuring flood works comply with the rules allows these impacts to be managed appropriately.

Over several decades, changes to legislation, policy and the development of floodplain management plans have resulted in many unapproved flood works in the northern NSW Murray-Darling Basin. These structures include levees, embankments, above-ground storage, and access roads.

To manage the impacts of these structures, flood works must meet the rules of the appropriate floodplain management plans.

Priority areas

More than 100 priority areas have been identified in the five northern Murray-Darling Basin valleys of Border Rivers, Gwydir, Namoi, Macquarie and Barwon-Darling.

• View a map showing identified priority areas (PDF, 346.89 KB)

Within each area, there may be one or several flood work structures, with some unapproved and some approved.

The priority areas were selected after an extensive assessment. The prioritisation process identified those locations where action under the program could produce the most benefit for floodplain connectivity. Prioritisation included analysis of hydraulic, ecological, and cultural impact. These impacts were assessed as part of a multi-criteria analysis.

As the program progresses, additional areas of concern may be prioritised for possible inclusion and for the notice of NRAR (Natural Resources Access Regulator).

Next steps

Work is underway in priority areas. Landholders have been contacted to collect initial information and assess the compliance situation of each flood work.

Where a flood work can be compliant through an approval or approval with modification, the program will provide technical support to assist the landholder with preparing an application for approval. Application fees will be waived.

NRAR will work with landholders who are required to remove the flood work to comply. Landholders will be responsible for all construction costs related to either the modification or removal of the structure.

You can read more about how priority flood works will be brought into compliance in the Improving Floodplain Connections: Decision support principles and processes fact sheet (PDF, 199.99 KB).

This fact sheet provides detailed information for landholders on the different stages of the program, including the initial assessment, site inspection by NRAR, and the assessment to determine the pathway to compliance. It also explains the roles of the department, NRAR and WaterNSW.

You can track the overall program progress on the Improving Floodplain Connections program status page.