More time to consider future of Lachlan water

The NSW Government will re-exhibit the draft Lachlan Regional Water Strategy in 2023 to give flood-affected communities another chance to have their say once the region has had time to recover from one of the worst floods in decades.

Director of Regional Water Strategies, Kristanne Andersen, said the Department of Planning and Environment had listened carefully to communities within the Lachlan region after extensive flooding inundated towns and caused widespread damage across the Central West.

“With flood warnings still in place for Forbes, Jemalong, Corrinella, Bedgerabong, Condobolin, Euabalong and Hillston and heavy rainfall forecast over the weekend, we know the number one priority at the moment is keeping communities safe,” Ms Andersen said.

“This is why we have decided to pause the development of the draft Lachlan Regional Water Strategy and re-exhibit it for another month in early 2023 once floodwaters subside and communities are able to recover.

“The community is at the heart of these strategies, which is why hearing from local people is fundamental in helping us to finalise a shortlist of the best infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions that will boost water security over the next 20-40 years while also protecting environmental and cultural assets.

“We already extended the consultation process to 18 November, but we recognise this is not the right time for people within the Lachlan region to share their feedback.

“All face-to-face engagement and public meetings have been cancelled, and we will re-schedule at an appropriate time once local communities have had a chance to get back on their feet.”

The Regional Water Strategy brings together the best and latest climate evidence with a wide range of tools and solutions to improve the way water is managed in the Lachlan region.

It provides a clear roadmap on how to manage water efficiently and sustainably balancing the needs of First Nations people, farmers, residents, businesses, industry and the environment.

The final version of the strategy is expected to be completed by mid-2023.

Please visit Lachlan Regional Water Strategy for the latest updates.