Country Labor Duty MLC for Burrinjuck, Mick Veitch welcomed the minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Frank Sartor’s announcement of funding for Harden, Cowra and Weddin councils.

“Harden Shire Council will receive $8000 for the Jugiong Flood Risk Management Study and Plan,” Mr Veitch said.

“Cowra Shire Council will receive $40,000 for a study to review Cowra’s overland flooding and for the West Cowra Overland Flood Risk Management Study and Plan and Weddin Shire Council will receive $16,000 for the Grenfell Floodplain Management Study.”

A floodplain risk management study and plan addresses existing, future and continuing flood problems and outlines how the floodplain should be managed now and in the future.

It also opens the way for council to apply for financial assistance from the NSW and Australian governments to carry out works and other measures to reduce flood risk.

The recent funding comes after Harden Shire councillors agreed at the August monthly council meeting to add an additional $1000 from the current 2010/2011 budget for additional survey work for the Jugiong flood study.

The Jugiong study has been progressing steadily by consultants, WMA Water, but it recently became apparent that more information was required in linking floor heights of existing buildings in the floodplain back to the calculated flood date with survey work needing to be completed by a registered surveyor for accuracy purposes.

Costs for this survey work are estimated at $3000 with council needing to fund $1000 of the total with the remaining $2000 coming from the recently granted funds.

Although some councillors thought the money already being put into the study was enough it was moved and seconded that the money be put forward for the surveying work.

The survey work is a necessity to the study and the advancement of Jugiong.

The $8000 in funding will come from the NSW Floodplain Management Program, which is a key component of the NSW Government’s Flood Prone Land Policy managed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change and Water.