Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme

About the scheme

The Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme is designed to mitigate flood risk as an integrated system operating across multiple local government areas, covering urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Today the scheme provides a level of benefit for over 250,000 people in the Hunter Valley. The scheme management has transitioned from a traditional approach to infrastructure construction, to a holistic approach to floodplain management and disaster risk reduction implemented by best practice asset management systems.

How the flood mitigation scheme works:

• The scheme provides protection for people, property and infrastructure.
• Levees and controlled floodways protect rural areas and major towns from minor to moderate flooding.
• Maitland floodways divert major flows in a controlled manner around the city.
• Levees provide a reduction in flood damages to towns in moderate to major floods and rural lands in minor floods.
• Channels and floodgates allow the removal of floodwaters from farming land over time, reducing negative impacts on local landholders.