Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has welcomed a total of $291,540 in funding for the local government areas of Bland, Narrandera and Coolamon for local floodplain management through the NSW Government’s Floodplain Management Program grants.
Ms Cooke said the grants, awarded under the 2021-22 Floodplain Management Program, will help Councils better understand and manage local flood risk and exposure in the region.
“I congratulate the Councils of Bland, Narrandera and Coolamon for securing this money to support their community through these projects,” Ms Cooke added.
“The funding of these studies comes at a crucial time following the prolonged wet season that many of our rural areas have experienced.”
Projects include:
- $43,000 to the Bland Shire Council for a Voluntary House Raising and Voluntary House Purchase feasibility study in Ungarie.
- $137,600 to the Narrandera Shire Council for the Barellan levee design.
- $110,940 to the Coolamon Shire Council for a flood and floodplain risk management study.
Each year Councils can apply for grants through the NSW Government’s Floodplain Management Program to fund important projects for local councils to assess and understand flood risk and help reduce flood impacts on their local communities.
“This is a continuation of the NSW Government’s investment to support councils, which have the primary role of managing flood risk in their communities,” Ms Cooke said.
The grants help with flood risk management studies, as well as the implementation of works to reduce risks such as flood levees, flood gates, warning systems, house raising or purchase in high risk areas.
The 49 projects funded under the 2021-22 Floodplain Management grants program, which total $9.54 million, are in addition to the 208 ongoing projects valued at $49.64 million being implemented from previous years’ funding rounds.
The new grant projects will enable local councils, county councils and other government bodies with floodplain risk management responsibilities to undertake priority projects.
Each application was assessed by a DPIE technical specialist and then by the independent State Floodplain Mitigation Assessment Committee (SFMAC) for feasibility and overall worthiness using assessment criteria.
See further information online: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/water/floodplains/floodplain-management-grants