The Moruya River drains a catchment of some 1,500 square kilometres. In the main, the catchment is rugged and steep, rising to 1,000 metres above sea level only 40 kilometres inland. As a consequence, catchment runoff is swift, and the Moruya River develops large flood flows in a relatively short space of time. The 1 % flood discharge of the Moruya River is almost as great as that of the Hunter River, despite the latter having a catchment nearly fifteen times greater!

In accordance with the NSW Government's Floodplain Management Manual, the object of a Floodplain Management Plan is to reduce the impact of flooding and flood liability on individual owners or occupiers, and to reduce private and public losses resulting from flooding. With particular reference to the Moruya Valley, the objectives of this Floodplain Management Plan are:

• To ensure the use of flood liable land is planned and managed in a manner compatible with the assessed frequency and severity of flooding;
• To ensure flood liable land is planned and managed having regard to social, economic and ecological costs and benefits, to individuals as well as the community;
• To ensure floodplain management matters are dealt with haying regard to community safety, health and welfare requirements;
• To ensure information on the nature of possible future flooding is available to the public and emergency services personnel;
• To ensure all reasonable measures are taken to alleviate the hazard and damage potential resulting from new development on the floodplains; and
• To ensure there is no significant growth in hazard and damage potential resulting from new development on floodplains.