Flooding
Do you live, work or play in a flood prone area?
Open our Interactive Map and select 'Flood data' on the left hand side to identify your flood risk.
(Note: This map shows current adopted flood studies only. If the land in question is adjacent to a water course, that is outside our adopted flood mapping, please refer to Chapter 9 of the Cessnock Development Control Plan.)
What to do during a flood event
You can also find more information about how to prepare for a flood event on the Bureau of Meteorology website.
After the event
Cessnock City Council is responsible for managing clean-up tasks after a flood event. We coordinate repairs to damaged public assets such as roads, parks, trees and drainage and secure government funding to cover infrastructure damage.
Floodplain management in the Cessnock Local Government Area
Flood risk in the Cessnock Local Government Area (LGA) is managed in accordance with the NSW Floodplain Development Manual 2005.
Council works directly with our community, through the Floodplain Management Committee and outreach to reduce flood risk and manage flood prone areas.
Cessnock Citywide Flood Study
The Cessnock Citywide Flood Study was adopted in July 2021. The study provides flood data for the entire local government area. It will enable residents and property owners to know and understand the impact of flooding in their area, especially when buying and developing land.
Floodplain management in NSW
The State Government’s Flood Policy is aimed at:
- providing solutions to existing flooding problems in developed areas
- ensuring that new development is compatible with the flood hazards
Under the policy, the management of flood liable land remains the responsibility of local government. The policy provides for technical and financial support by the Government through the following four stages:
1. Flood Study - to determine the nature and extent of flooding
2. Floodplain Risk Management Study - to evaluate management options for the floodplain in respect of both existing and proposed development)
3. Floodplain Risk Management Plan - involves formal adoption by Council of a plan of management for the floodplain
4. Implementation of the Plan - construction of flood mitigation works to protect existing development and use of Local Environmental Plans to ensure new development is compatible with the flood hazards
Flood development controls
All land at or below the flood planning level will be subject to flood development controls. Please refer to Chapter 9 of the Cessnock Development Control Plan.
Fore more information view the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Code).
Flood Information Certificates
Flood Information Certificates show summarised information about flooding for individual properties, most often based on the computer calculations and mapping carried out by Council.
Information to assist in preparing development applications is provided on the Certificates where available. Make an application for a Flood Certificate and Flood Data here.
South Cessnock Flood Mitigation Scheme
The South Cessnock Flood Mitigation Scheme was presented at a public meeting held on on 30 July 2020. Access the presented information below:
Annual Dams Safety Standards Reports
Council manages its declared dam assets in accordance with the Dams Safety Act 2015 & Dams Safety Regulation 2019. In accordance with Section 14 (4) of the Dams Safety Act 2015, the owner of a declared dam is to publish on an annual basis a report demonstrating the owner’s compliance with the dams safety standards.
Below are the reports for Council's two declared dams, the Mount View Detention Basin (existing) and the South Cessnock Detention Basin (in design).