The Clarence River has a catchment area of some 21,900 km² to its mouth at Yamba, and some 19,800 km² to Grafton. Grafton is the main commercial centre in the region and the most upstream river crossing point on the lower Clarence River floodplain. Downstream of Grafton the Clarence River meanders in a general north-east direction entering the Pacific Ocean through the training walls at Yamba. The township of Yamba lies on the southern bank of the Clarence River and represents a major urban centre in the lower Clarence River valley.

Yamba is located at the mouth of the Clarence River and is effectively surrounded by water with the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Clarence River to the north, Oyster Channel to the west and land extending to Lake Wooloweyah in the south. The objectives of this Plan are:

• to review the management measures described in the Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Study aimed at reducing the impact of flooding on both existing and future development,
• to list the agreed measures for addressing the current and future flooding issues for the township of Yamba.