The Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme is designed to mitigate flood risk as an integrated system operating across multiple local government areas, covering urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Today the scheme provides a level of benefit for over 250,000 people in the Hunter Valley. The scheme management has transitioned from a traditional approach to infrastructure construction, to a holistic approach to floodplain management and disaster risk reduction implemented by best practice asset management systems.

How the flood mitigation scheme works:

• The scheme provides protection for people, property and infrastructure.
• Levees and controlled floodways protect rural areas and major towns from minor to moderate flooding.
• Maitland floodways divert major flows in a controlled manner around the city.
• Levees provide a reduction in flood damages to towns in moderate to major floods and rural lands in minor floods.
• Channels and floodgates allow the removal of floodwaters from farming land over time, reducing negative impacts on local landholders.