Hawkesbury-Nepean FloodSafe

The Hawkesbury-Nepean River is one of the major river systems of NSW, draining a catchment area of 22,000 square kilometres. Exceptionally heavy rainfall in this area can lead to severe flooding.

This is worsened below Richmond by the fact that water flows into the valley much faster than it can flow out.

In the largest flood of record -- which occurred in June 1867 -- flood waters reached approximately 12 metres higher than the deck of the present-day Windsor Bridge. Even larger floods than the 1867 are possible. Maps of the areas inundated in the 1867 flood are available for download.

Program Overview

The Hawkesbury-Nepean FloodSafe Project has several goals:

Increase public awareness in the region about the risk of flooding and ways to be prepared.
Encourage people to protect their families, homes, and possessions in times of flood.
Develop public education resources at the local level (including materials for householders, schools, and the general public).
Promote the location of evacuation routes and their use in times of flood.
Encourage evacuees to register at evacuation centres.
Promote community recovery after floods.
Disseminate information from local councils about the flood hazard and local resources.

FloodSafe is the result of many government and non-government agencies coming together to meet these goals.

Partner Agencies

Bureau of Meteorology

Department of Natural Resources

Sydney Catchment Authority

Depatrment of Planning

Sydney Water

Roads and Traffic Authority

Department of Community Services

The Council of the City of Penrith

Hawkesbury City Council

Gosford City Council

Blacktown City Council

Hornsby Shire Council

Baulkham Hills Shire Council

Displays

Visiting a FloodSafe display is an excellent way of finding out about flooding on the Hawkesbury-Nepean River. You can talk to SES volunteers on how your family and/or business can be prepared for floods which includes putting together an emergency kit, knowing your evacuation routes and who to call in an emergency.

Displays at events in the Hawkesbury-Nepean area, including at the Hawkesbury and Penrith Shows and Rescue Expos are a great opportunity to meet your local SES volunteers and ask questions about flooding and being flood prepared.

Please contact us to request a display at your fete, show, festival or other community event.

Media Events

The media are important partners in community safety. The FloodSafe program includes initiatives to inform the media on the flood threat and how they can help.

Media products such as community service announcements, information posters, stories and articles have been produced and can be distributed to media outlets as a way of educating the community of the flood history on the Hawkesbury-Nepean River and to warn and inform the community of what to do in flood events.

You are welcome to contact us for more media information.

FloodSafe Guides and Information

The SES, together with local Councils, have information that may be specific to flooding in your area. Visit the SES FloodSafe Guide page for more information.

Council also have specific information on how flooding may affect your property and/or business.

Flood Risk Management Planning Guides

One of the key findings of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Flood Management Strategy (1998) was that the planning and construction of urban development on the floodplain must be improved to reduce the impact of flooding on people and property. To this end, the Hawkesbury-Nepean Flood Management Advisory Committee commissioned the production of flood-specific planning guidelines. The three guidelines published here are the result of a collaboration between state and local government and also involved research and testing by independent research organisations including several NSW universities (Sydney, Macquarie, Newcastle) and the CSIRO.Flood emergency management is focussed on protecting people first and then their property. The capability to evacuate people off the floodplain is the key flood emergency management strategy. The guidelines recognise that all new development should be designed and built to ensure that emergency management action can be safely and efficiently implemented when a flood threatens. The guidelines will also assist individuals and businesses to minimise the damage that would otherwise be done to their property when it is flooded. Houses and buildings cannot be moved as a flood approaches but basic modifications, some required at the time of construction, can make the difference between a total flood loss and a recoverable asset.These guidelines are voluntary and are not part of any mandatory State planning code or regulations in NSW. The guidelines are provided for the advice of individuals and organisations that are genuinely interested in producing better flood emergency risk management outcomes.

Building Guidelines

Land Use Guidelines

Sub-division Guidelines