Impacts of flood mitigation works on coastal wetlands in New South Wales.

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Abstract
Agricultural and urban development of the coastal floodplains of New South Wales has involved major changes in the extent of natural habitats and in the decline of the state’s coastal wetlands – the programme of structural flood mitigation works in all major river systems. The stated aims of these works are to reduce the frequency of flooding in low-lying control areas, to facilitate removal of floodwaters after floods and to control flooding which cannot be prevented (NSW Department of Public Works, 1973). In practice, the pursuit of these aims has led to the elimination of reduction in value of much freshwater and estuarine wetland. While the benefits of flood mitigation to agricultural and urban economics have been significant and well documented (eg/ Macleay River County Council et al., 1963; Executive Committee for Councils, 1968) assessment of the adverse effects, particularly environmental impacts, has been limited (McGregor, 1979; Middleton et al., in press). Of the recent studies which have considered environmental aspects of specific proposals, few have included a systematic analysis of major potential impacts. Fewer still have generated new background information on the areas concerned and the authors know of no study which has considered all flora and fauna potentially affected. Notably, this general lack of environmental research applies to the recent series of floodplain management studies on major river systems in coastal New South Wales, few of which analysed the specific impacts of existing or proposed works.

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