Councils across New South Wales are being supported with $9.9 million in NSW Government grants to reduce the impacts of flooding by mitigating flood risks in their communities.
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the 2022–23 Floodplain Management Program grants will help ensure communities are better prepared for and protected from potential flooding.
"Across the state, we're funding 65 council projects that have a focus on understanding risks and taking action to reduce the impact of floods on local communities," Mr Griffin said.
"The funding being delivered to local councils will help them understand their local flood risks and implement actions to reduce flood impacts, such as building levees, flood gates and establishing warning systems.
"The Floodplain Management Program has been running since the 1980s, and now with a third La Nina season upon us, these grants will help councils future-proof their flood plans, and ensure communities are more prepared for flood risks."
In the past decade, the NSW Government has provided approximately $165 million through the Department of Planning and Environment's Floodplain Management Program to fund more than 770 local council projects.
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said the grants are excellent news for local councils and provide an opportunity to improve flood prevention.
"The NSW Government is aware of the challenges local councils face in understanding and managing flood risk, especially as La Nina continues to batter our communities," Ms Tuckerman said.
"We're helping councils take positive steps to understand and plan for future flooding events, so we can minimise damage and loss to our towns and cities."
Examples of new projects funded as part of the 2022–23 Floodplain Management Program include:
- $100,000 for Shoalhaven City Council to update the 2013 St Georges Basin Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan
- $120,000 for Bega Valley Shire Council to conduct the Wolumla flood study and management plan to better manage flood risks and inform future land-use
- $101,332 for the Georges River Council to develop a flood study
- $284,000 for the Tweed Shire Council to construct the Dorothy-William Streets levee area pump station and reduce the effects of flooding on private property and public infrastructure
- $666,667 for the Griffith City Council to complete construction of the first stage of the Hanwood stormwater pump and levee
- $1.8 million for Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council to construct an overflow channel on Turallo Creek, which will direct flood waters away from properties.
