The main objective of the flood study is to develop a flood model. Photo: Supplied.
The 2025 Draft Leeton Shire Flood Study is on public exhibition and will be receiving feedback from community members until 22 October. Residents can talk to the project team in-person at a drop-in session on 9 October.
Leeton Shire Mayor George Weston highlighted the importance of the review, stating the flood study review expanded on the study done in 2015 and included data from the 2022 floods.
“The 2025 flood study has produced a set of updated models and outputs that council can confidently use for planning and emergency management,” he said.
Following a review of the Leeton Flood Study a decade ago, Leeton Shire Council has implemented a range of flood mitigation measures with data available for the substantial advancements made in flood modelling techniques.
Residents in Leeton had the opportunity to provide feedback and data on their experiences with flooding to the flood study review in July last year. The data was collected through a questionnaire and two community information drop-in sessions held in Leeton.
Feedback from community was also used to inform the flood model calibration to the storms of 2022, to make sure flood behaviour in Leeton Shire was reflected accurately during flood modelling.
On top of the 2015 study and data collected in 2022 and 2024, the 2025 Draft Flood Study Review also provides high resolution flood mapping for the towns and villages of Leeton, Yanco, Murrami, Whitton and Wamoon.
Regional overland flow mapping for the entire local government area and riverine flooding from the Murrumbidgee River is included as well.
Cr Weston said this study would form the building blocks for future floodplain management and risk mitigation.
The purpose of the study was to allow Leeton Shire Council to better manage future development within the shire, understand and manage flood risks, assess stormwater drainage systems, identify and assess flood risk hot spots to assist in scoping work for the next stage of the floodplain risk management process, and apply for funding for a Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan.
“It will also provide a sound basis to move on to the next stage of the NSW Floodplain Management Process – a Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan – in which we will investigate ways to mitigate flood risk in Leeton Shire both from riverine and overland sources,” he said.
Residents have the opportunity to view and provide feedback to the 2025 Draft Leeton Shire Flood Study through council’s ‘Have Your Say’ online engagement portal, which will be on exhibition until 5 pm on 22 October.
A drop-in session in which residents can chat with the project team directly will be held on 9 October at the Leeton Shire Council Chambers at 4:30 pm.
