This study was commissioned by the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) to review the issues associated with flooding at Coonamble, NSW. It is funded through Emergency Management Australia (EMA). The aim of the study is to identify the nature of flooding in and around Coonamble and to advise on and scope issues that need to be addressed in developing a flood model for the Castlereagh River at Coonamble. The town of Coonamble is approximately 200km north west of Dubbo and is located at the confluence of the Castlereagh River and the Warrena Creek. Coonamble has experienced severe flooding on several occasions over the last century and in 1975 a ring levee was constructed to protect a significant portion of the town. Since construction of the levee, several major floods have been experienced in the Castlereagh and Warrena Creeks and the town has avoided significant inundation. This study has reviewed the issues associated with developing a flood model for the Castlereagh River and Warrena Creek at Coonamble, particularly:

• The nature of flooding and major flowpaths and,
• The availability of flood related data

The outcome of the study has been to identify the flood related issues and to propose a scope of work to carry out a flood study for the area. This scoping study was commissioned with the objective of establishing the nature of flooding at Coonamble with a view to preparing a Scope of Work for a Flood Study.