Replacement floodplain management plans for the Southern Murray-Darling Basin
The department is transitioning floodplain management plans from the Water Act 1912 to the Water Management Act 2000. This means existing localised plans in the southern Murray–Darling Basin will be replaced in accordance with the Water Management Act 2000. This has already occurred in the northern Murray–Darling Basin.
Floodplain management plans are based on technical advice from a wide range of government departments and community groups representing agricultural, environmental, First Nations, fisheries and other water interests.
Replacement plans will consider:
- recommendations from audit and review reports
- the existing planning arrangements in existing localised Water Act 1912 plans
- the principles for water management specified in the Water Management Act 2000
- updated flooding and landscape information
- feedback from community consultation.
Information sessions were held in Jerilderie, Deniliquin, Moama, Barham, Forbes, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo, Hillston, Narrandera, Darlington Point, Hay and Moulamein from 14-28 June 2023. Read the What we heard report (PDF, 798.99 KB) and read more about the sessions.
Proposed replacement plans: For more information about the proposed replacement plans, download Replacement floodplain management plans for the Southern Murray-Darling Basin (PDF, 444.65 KB).
Transition to the new Water Management Act: For more information about the transition of floodplain management planning from the Water Act 1912 to the Water Management Act 2000 in NSW, download Floodplain management under the Water Management Act 2000: A guide to the changes (PDF, 143.12 KB).
Existing approvals granted under the Water Act 1912 (now converted to flood work approvals under the Water Management Act 2000) will continue to be valid. However, there are changes to the process for landholders making an application for flood work approvals in the future or amending existing approvals.
How existing plans will be replaced
The southern Murray-Darling Basin currently has 10 localised floodplain management plans developed under the Water Act 1912 and 2 declared floodplains. The replacement of these plans under the Water Management Act 2000 will be based on a whole-of-valley approach and will include the declaration of floodplains that match the new plan areas:
- The Lachlan River Valley has 3 localised plans and one declared floodplain which will be replaced with a single floodplain management plan and associated declared floodplain.
- The Murray River Valley has 5 localised plans which will be replaced with a single floodplain management plan and associated declared floodplain.
- The Murrumbidgee River Valley has 2 localised plans and one declared floodplain which will be replaced with 2 floodplain management plans and associated declared floodplains.
Existing localised floodplain management plans
Billabong Creek: Walbundrie to Jerilderie
- Area=2,500 km2
- Adopted May 2006
- Billabong Creek Floodplain Management Plan (PDF, 4661 KB)
Edward and Wakool Rivers (Deniliquin to Moama-Moulamein Railway): Stage 1
- Area=1,500 km2
- Adopted November 2010
- Edward and Wakool Rivers Stage 1 Deniliquin to Moama-Moulamein Railway (PDF, 1266.37 KB)
- Appendix C Stage 1 floodway network maps:
- Figure 1.0 Key map: Stage 1 FMP floodway network (PDF, 1113.4 KB)
- Figure 1.1 Sheet 1 of 7 (PDF, 2746.62 KB)
- Figure 1.2 Sheet 2 of 7 (PDF, 580.57 KB)
- Figure 1.3 Sheet 3 of 7 (PDF, 1004.71 KB)
- Figure 1.4 Sheet 4 of 7 (PDF, 2650.63 KB)
- Figure 1.5 Sheet 5 of 7 (PDF, 1014.66 KB)
- Figure 1.6 Sheet 6 of 7 (PDF, 2734.22 KB)
- Figure 1.7 Sheet 7 of 7 (PDF, 2765.82 KB)
Wakool River (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Gee Gee Bridge): Stage 2
- Area=1,600 km2
- Adopted November 2010
- Wakool River Stage 2 Moama-Moulamein Railway to Gee Gee Bridge (PDF, 1148.6 KB)
- Appendix C Stage 2 floodway network maps:
Edward and Niemur Rivers (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Liewah and Mallan): Stage 3
- Area=1,400 km2
- Adopted November 2010
- Edward and Niemur Rivers Stage 3 Moama-Moulamein Railway to Liewah and Mallan (PDF, 1166.34 KB)
- Appendix C Stage 3 floodway network maps:
Edward and Wakool Rivers (Noorong Road to Wakool-Murray Junction): Stage 4
- Area=2,000 km2
- Adopted July 2000
- Edward and Wakool Rivers Floodplain Management Strategy Noorong Road to Wakool Murray Junction (PDF, 645.23 KB)
- Figure 1 Location of Stage IV area (PDF, 79.86 KB)
- Figure 2 Overall scheme (PDF, 88.85 KB)
- Figure 3 Approval process for flood control works (PDF, 73.85 KB)
- Figure 4 Streams contributing to flooding (PDF, 70.97 KB)
- Figure 5 Flow distribution (PDF, 105.82 KB)
- Figure 6 1993 flood flows (PDF, 105.48 KB)
- Figure 7 Satellite image (PDF, 756.61 KB)
- Figure 8 Proposed floodway (PDF, 534.86 KB)
- Floodway network:
Lachlan River: Gooloogong to Jemalong Gap
- Area=1,000 km2
- Adopted January 2011
- Lachlan River Gooloogong to Jemalong Gap Floodplain Management Plan (PDF, 774.36 KB)
- Appendix B Figure 2 FMP floodway network maps:
- Figure 3 FMP floodway network and mapped wetland vegetation maps:
Lachlan River: Jemalong Gap to Condobolin
- Area=1,600 km2
- Adopted 2012
- Lachlan River Jemalong Gap to Condobolin Floodplain Management Plan (PDF, 892.81 KB)
- Figures 4.1 to 4.4 1990 model results [flows and velocities] (PDF, 1320.58 KB)
- Figures 4.5 to 4.8 FMP floodway network (PDF, 1517.6 KB)
- Figure 5.1 FMP floodway network zones (PDF, 453.96 KB)
- Figures 6.1 to 6.4 FMP floodway network and mapped wetland vegetation (PDF, 1640.92 KB)
Lachlan River: Lake Brewster Weir to Whealbah (Hillston)
- Area=1,600 km2
- Adopted October 2005
- Lachlan River Hillston Floodplain Management Plan – Lake Brewster to Whealbah (PDF, 3980.44 KB)
- Hillston floodplain management – floodway network and flood fringe area:
Murrumbidgee River: Hay to Maude
- Area=1,700 km2
- Adopted April 2014
- Murrumbidgee River Hay to Maude Floodplain Management Plan (PDF, 1168.17 KB)
- Figures 2A to 2E FMP floodway network (PDF, 4522.25 KB)
- Figures 3A to 3C FMP floodway network with flood-dependent ecosystems (PDF, 4058.23 KB)
- Figures 3D to 3E FMP floodway network with flood-dependent ecosystems (PDF, 1853.68 KB)
- Figure B1 Flow and flood level monitoring sites (PDF, 1069.48 KB)
- Figures C1 to C5 Details of improvement measures [Sites A to E] (PDF, 3201.26 KB)
- Figures C6 to C10 Details of improvement measures [Sites F to J] (PDF, 3868.17 KB)
Tuppal and Bullatale Creeks: Murray River offtake to Deniliquin
Contact us
If you require assistance in reading these documents, please contact 1300 081 047 or water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au