Cowra Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2026-2027

Overview Cowra Shire Council has received financial support from the State Floodplain Management Program, managed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, to undertake a flood investigation of the Cowra Floodplain and the Lachlan River, culminating in the Cowra Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2026-2027. About Through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the NSW Government provides specialist technical assistance to local government on flooding, flood risk management, land-use planning matters and flood emergency management. The NSW Government provides the Flood Risk Management Manual (NSW Government 2023) and its supporting toolkit to assist councils to meet their obligations through the preparation and implementation of floodplain risk management plans, through a staged process. The Manual and toolkit document the process for plan preparation, implementation and review. Scope The scope includes: Flood investigation of the Cowra Floodplain and the Lachlan River Preparation of the Cowra Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2026-2027 Objectives The primary objective of the Flood Prone Land Policy outlined in the Flood Risk Management Manual is to reduce the impacts of flooding and flood liability on communities and individual owners and occupiers of flood prone property, and to reduce private and public losses resulting from floods, utilising ecologically positive methods wherever possible. In doing so, community resilience to flooding is improved.