The NSW Government is rolling out site visits across the Gwydir and Barwon-Darling valleys to start bringing unapproved flood works into compliance and return water to floodplains, wetlands, rivers and creeks.
Executive Director of Water Planning for the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Giselle Howard, said it is the next step in the Improving Floodplain Connections Program, after a successful roll out in the Border Rivers last year.
“We’re targeting unapproved flood works that are blocking natural flows of floodwater,” Ms Howard said.
“These might include levees, embankments, roads, dams or channels, some of which are up to 30 years old. These unauthorised structures divert water that could have been taken legitimately by other water users, and divert water from the environment and places of cultural significance.
“By removing or remediating them and making sure they comply with the rules, we’re improving connectivity across our floodplains and delivering better outcomes for all water users, downstream communities, First Nations groups and the environment.”
The Department has partnered with the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) and various NSW agencies to deliver the program. NRAR officers are now working closely with landholders in the Gwydir and Barwon-Darling regions to assess high-priority sites to bring unapproved works into compliance.
It comes after officers assessed dozens of unapproved works across 12 priority areas in the Border Rivers in July last year.
“We found every scenario when teams hit the ground,” Ms Howard said.
“Officers discovered works needing major modifications or total removal, works requiring only minor modifications, structures that were already approved and some that had already been removed.”
NRAR is now working closely with landholders to bring these structures into compliance. Where changes are needed, the NSW Government will help landholders with the design and assessment required to make an application, but landholders will be responsible for the on-ground removal or modification.
Compliance officers will visit works in 45 priority areas across the Gwydir region and one priority area in the Barwon-Darling region from 30 January. These areas were selected after extensive assessment of hydraulic, ecological, and cultural impacts. More sites will be assessed and field inspections will commence in the Macquarie, Barwon-Darling and Namoi valleys in 2023.
The program is a joint initiative between DPE, NRAR, WaterNSW and the NSW Department of Primary Industries thanks to $10.2 million from the Commonwealth Government’s Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program, and $1.08 million from the NSW Government.
Remediation work has already commenced and is expected to continue across the northern Basin throughout 2023 and 2024.
For more information, visit improving floodplain connections.
