This guideline is intended for use by those responsible for maintaining, monitoring and operating levees in NSW (levee owners). It provides information of a general nature on the basics of levees and levee management. This forms part of the State’s continuing technical support for levee owners to assist improvement in the knowledge of levees, their capabilities and limitations. This will ultimately lead to an improvement in the management and condition of levees in NSW, the sharing of knowledge on levee conditions and the consideration of condition in government decision making.

In NSW there are more than 110 levees protecting urban communities with an aggregate length in excess of 350 km. The levees are managed for the protection of the communities principally by Local Government Agencies, with a smaller number by Land Councils and State Government Agencies. This represents a sizable asset for NSW.

The owner of a levee has responsibility to ensure their levee is fit for purpose, is well maintained and able to operate during a flood event. In addition, the owner has responsibility to ensure information on the levee and its operation are readily available to inform decision making in government, including land use planning, flood risk management and emergency response. This information is needed well in advance of a flood to manage development behind the levee and develop plans on how to respond to flood emergencies. The use of outdated information, which may no longer accurately reflect the levee’s “safe” capacity, has the potential to put the community at additional risk in terms of emergency response to flood events.