Floodplain Management

The primary objective of the New South Wales Government’s Flood Prone Land Policy is to reduce the impact of flooding and flood liability on individual owners and occupiers of flood prone property, while recognising the benefits from the use, occupation and development of flood prone land. A merit-based approach is promoted that balances social, economic, environmental and flood risk elements to make sure development in the floodplain is appropriate and sustainable.

Council has adopted the Town of Blayney Local Flood Study 2026, which supersedes the 2015 Jacobs Flood Study and the 2021 Storm Consulting Addendums.

The objective of the study is to define the nature and extent of the two primary types of flooding experienced within the township of Blayney:

• Main Street flooding associated with the Belubula River and its tributaries; and
• Major overland flow occurring throughout the local township.

The study area and assessment were informed by historical flood behaviour, particularly the significant flooding experienced in Blayney on 14 November 2022.
The Flood Study has been updated to align with the procedures and methodologies set out in the 2019 edition of Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR 2019) (Ball et al., 2019) and the NSW Flood Risk Management Manual (NSWG, 2023) (FRMM).

This flood study will be used as a basis for preparing the future Blayney Flood Risk Management Study and Plan.

Download the Local Flood Study and Figures

Full models and supplementary information is accessible through the SES NSW Flood Data Portal

Council needed to develop a Floodplain Risk Management Plan for Blayney to address the existing, future and continuing flood challenges, in accordance with the NSW Floodplain Development Manual (2005). The primary objective of the NSW Govt. Flood Prone Land Policy is to reduce the impact of flooding and flood liability of individual owners and occupiers of flood prone properties and to reduce the private and public losses as a result of flooding. At the same time the policy recognises the ad-hoc benefits from the occupation, use and development of flood prone lands.

To meet the requirements of the Manual, Council needs this Plan in order to:

• This Strategy, prepared by AgEconPlus on behalf of the region, was formed in collaboration with the Orange City, Blayney and Cabonne Shire Councils; key stakeholders and the broader regional community. This benefited from economic-analytical assistance from the NSW Government’s Centre for Economic and Regional Development (CERD).
• Reduce the flood hazard and risk to people and property in the existing community;
• Provide valuable flood intelligence to assist State Emergency Service (SES) in updating Local Flood Plans for the township;
• Protect, maintain and, where possible, enhance the river and floodplain environment, and
• Ensure flood management decisions integrate the social, economic and environmental considerations.

To read the full plan, click here. 

To read the addendum, click here