Critical flood dangers in the Hunter Valley are to be repaired to ensure the area is ready for future flood events.
Announcing funding for the works, Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the allocation of infrastructure would strengthen the existing Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme and provide the urgent repairs needed following recent flood damage.
“This crucial scheme is designed to mitigate or reduce flood damage and provide flood protection for rural land as well as towns in the Hunter Valley,” Mr Toole said.
Minister for Lands and Water, Kevin Anderson said the Hunter Valley had experienced significant flooding recently and flood mitigation infrastructure had remained strong, “reducing the risk to life and property”.
“This scheme plays a vital role in minimising the impact of flooding for more than 250,000 people across the Hunter including Maitland, Raymond Terrace, Singleton and Aberdeen,” Mr Anderson said.
“This funding will allow us to remediate around five kilometres of riverbank across 14 separate sites on the Hunter, Paterson and Williams Rivers,” he said.
“We are still assessing the damage caused by the major flooding in July, but the community can rest assured that any further repairs that are needed will be identified and funded as a priority.”
Mr Anderson said the scheme was built after the disastrous Hunter River flood of 1955 and included 185km of levees and control banks, 3.8km of spillways, 165km of drainage channels, 259 floodgates and 36km of bank protection works.
He said the investigation and design work needed to facilitate the complex repairs were expected to be complete by June 2023.
“Urgent repair works are already underway at a number of locations and further critical sites will be repaired as a priority,” the Minister said.
