NSW Government kicks off floodplain management consultations along Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan rivers

The Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) is embarking on a listening tour of the Murray Darling Basin to discuss floodplain management with local councils.

The community consultation sessions will be held over the next three weeks in 12 towns including Jerilderie, Deniliquin, Moama, Barham, Forbes, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo, Hillston, Narrandera, Darlington Point, Hay and Moulamein.

Many of these communities have suffered catastrophic floods in recent years, exposing the weaknesses in the existing floodplain management plans in these communities.

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DPE executive director of water planning, Giselle Howard, said floodplain management plans are a key tool for improving the environmental health and connectivity of floodplains as well as increasing awareness of risk to life and property from the effects of flooding.

"Some of these existing plans are over 10 years old and out of date which is why we're asking the public's help to ensure they're properly reshaped and up to scratch with the latest data to help put us on the front foot for the next flood event," she said.

"This important work builds on our successful floodplain management reforms in the Northern Basin and helps improve the way we consider the impacts of floodplain structures on the environment, cultural values and other landholders.

"It was only six months ago that many of these southern Murray Darling Basin communities were inundated with water, so it makes sense to visit them in person, hear their firsthand experiences and leverage their valuable insights."

DPE are calling for residents of these communities to submit images and data from recent years to help better understand the behaviour of local waterways, and specific community challenges. These data will be used to steer catchment specific floodplain management plans for each area.

Ms Howard said the process would also involve streamlining the plans to aid community and council understanding.

"This is a complex topic which is why we are streamlining them from ten plans to four with clearer language, state-of-the-art modelling, improved imagery and properly mapped out ecological assets and areas of Aboriginal cultural significance," she said.

"Importantly, the updated boundaries for these four plans will cover whole floodplain valleys rather than the current localised areas to ensure the rules for flood work approvals are consistent for all landholders."

Sessions will run from Wednesday June 14 to Wednesday June 28.

More information including session times for each community, and how to submit and image is available here.

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