Stormwater management is about protecting our waterways from pollutants and increased or concentrated water flow, utilising rainwater and stormwater as a resource, and managing stormwater flood risk for the wellbeing and resilience of our communities.

The Draft Urban Stormwater Management Plan provides the direction for future stormwater management in the urban areas around theTamworth region.

Meeting the stormwater management needs of our growing community in a changing climate is critical to achieving the communities vision in Tamworth Regional Blueprint 100 to 'Protect local waterways and minimise stromwater pollution'.

Once finalised, implementation of the plans will help to address existing issues and prepare the region for future stormwater management challenges.

Stormwater is runoff from rainfall. In urban areas it is captured by a series of pits and then conveyed underground through pipes and culverts. It also travels as surface flow in open drains, roadways, natural channels and overland flow paths. As stormwater travels over the landscape it can become contaminated with litter and other pollutants.

Stormwater management aims to protect people and property from unacceptable flooding risks, minimise adverse impacts to the natural and built environment, and ensure that stormwater is valued as a resource.

Stormwater flooding is typically very localised and is sometimes referred to as flash flooding. It is different to creek or river flooding and storm surge events, which are regional types of flooding.

Stormwater management is the term used for planning, setting policy, implementing actions, and delivering and managing stormwater infrastructure.

The plans seek to identify the key issues for Council relating to stormwater management and establish a series of objectives, strategic directions, policy positions and actions to address these issues.

It builds upon work done in the Tamworth Regional Local Environmental Plan and other Council documents to provide a consistent, strategic direction for stormwater management in the Tamworth region.

The plans also aim to raise awareness of the importance of effective stormwater management so that the community, the development industry and other levels of government can all play their part.

The plans aim to provide the community with:

• healthy waterways and rivers
• a liveable, safe and green urban environment
• an increased understanding of stormwater flood risk
• increased engagement and appreciation of the impact we have on the environment
• strategic and targeted investment that will maximse community benefit
• optimise and coordinated infrastructure and service delivery, reducing costs and inconvenience to the community
• reduce reliance on town water
• increased resilience to the effects of climate change
• the ability to accomodate our growing region

Feedback from the community will be used to inform the final version of the Urban Stormwater Management Plans which will be adopted by Council in late 2023. Implementation of the plans will be informed by the detailed actions in the plans. This will be subject to Council's budget processes.

Community engagement

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Consultation closed Tuesday 26 September 2023.