The Hillston Floodplain Management Plan Lake Brewster to Whealbah (FMP) has been prepared by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in conjunction with the local community. DNR has prepared the plan under Part 8 of the Water Act 1912 on behalf of the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation. The Hillston Rural Floodplain Management Committee, comprising representatives of the community and stakeholder groups, has guided the preparation of the plan. Funding for the FMP was provided jointly by the State and Federal Governments, with Federal funding provided under the Natural Heritage Trust.

The FMP aims to coordinate the existing and future development of flood control works so that flood risk is minimised and the natural functions of the floodplain environment are sustained. It outlines specific modifications to existing flood control works based on hydraulic and environmental criteria and identifies a floodway network and flood fringe area for the planning of proposed works. Implementation of the FMP will provide the community with greater security against flood risk and allow for the sustainable management of flood-dependent ecosystems. The strategic objectives of the FMP are to:

• reduce the impact of flooding and flood liability on individual owners and occupiers of flood prone property, and to reduce private and public losses resulting from floods, utilising ecologically positive methods wherever possible (NSW Flood Prone Land Policy objective);
• coordinate floodplain development in order to minimise adverse changes to flood flow patterns;
• increase the sustainable social, economic and ecological benefits of using the floodplain;
• improve and maintain the diversity and well being of native riverine and floodplain ecosystems that depend on flood inundation; and,
• take into account the cumulative impact on flooding behaviour of individual developments.