Please share your experiences and records to help update our understanding of flooding around the Nepean River

The information shared will help us to:

  • Prepare an updated flood study for the Nepean River and its tributaries;
  • Guide the development of a computer model for the Nepean River. The information provided will help ensure that the model accurately represents observed flooding;
  • Assist with emergency management and guide future development and re-development so that it is compatible with the flood risk; and
  • Confirm the location of flood problems and identify where flood mitigation measures may be best implemented to reduce the impact of flooding on the community.

Get involved

People with experience of flooding in the Nepean River Catchment are invited to:

  • Chat with us at a community drop-in session held on Tuesday 19 March 2024 from 2 to 4pm at Camden Library, 40 John Street, Camden. If you can't make this session, you can request a private chat below.
  • Complete the survey below and share flooding details including flood depths and observations by Monday 8 April 2024,

If you have any questions or require assistance with providing information, please contact:

  • Michael Reeves, WMAwater on phone 02 9299 2855
  • Floodplain Management Team at Camden Council on phone 13 CAMDEN (13 226336) or email to floodplains@camden.nsw.gov.au

Do you want to play an important role in the review, development and implementation of one or more floodplain risk management plans for the Camden area? Join our Floodplain Risk Management Committee.

Survey

The survey should only take about 10 minutes to complete. Please try to answer as many questions as you can and give as much detail as possible.

HANDY TIPS:

  • A PDF of the questions has been provided for you to prepare responses ahead of time, so it is quick to copy them across in one go. Click here to download the PDF (1.72 MB).
  • If you'd like to save your response part way through, please ensure you are signed in as a registered member of this website.
  • Don't want to complete the survey? Show us where flooding has occurred by dropping a pin on the 'Map your experience or photos' tab.

Map your experience or photos

Study area

Nepean River flood study area, Feb 2024

This map shows the study area encompassing the Nepean River and its tributaries within the Camden Local Government Area (LGA).

A tributary is a freshwater stream that feeds into the Nepean River, these include:

  • Spring Creek;
  • Navigation Creek;
  • Matahil Creek;
  • Sickles Creek;
  • Cobbitty Creek; and
  • Bringelly Creek.

While Narellan Creek is a tributary of the Nepean River, a seperate detailed flood study is currently being undertaken.

The extent of the study area is shown in yellow in the image above. It covers the suburbs of Camden, Camden South, Cawdor, Bickley Vale, Grasmere, Ellis Lane, Cobbitty, Spring Farm and parts of Elderslie, Kirkham, Harrington Park and Oran Park.

The flood study is currently in its inception stage where the consultants are collecting and collating data on flooding and the catchment.

Community participation is essential to the success of the study, particularly when it comes to locality-specific flood information.

FAQ

This study covers the Nepean River and its tributary creeks, including Spring Creek, Navigation Creek, Matahil Creek, Sickles Creek, Cobbitty Creek and Bringelly Creek.

While Narellan Creek is a tributary of the Nepean River, a separate detailed flood study is currently being undertaken by another consultant.

The study area covers the suburbs of Camden, Camden South, Cawdor, Bickley Vale, Grasmere, Ellis Lane, Cobbitty, Spring Farm and parts of Elderslie, Kirkham, Harrington Park and Oran Park.

A flood study is a technical project that uses relevant information and computer models to simulate flood events. This information includes historical flood records, rainfall data, topography and hydraulic structures.

A range of different flood events are modelled and the flood behaviour (depth, velocity, extent, hazard, etc) is mapped.

A flood study aims to define the nature and extent of the existing flood problem.

Camden Council has engaged flood specialists WMAwater to prepare the Nepean River Flood Study Update.

This project is supported by the NSW Government’s Floodplain Management Program.

Council completed the Nepean River Flood Study in 2015 and prepared the Nepean River Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan.

We're now looking to update the Flood Study for the following reasons:

  • There is a need to account for recent development in the flood model, such as precinct developments and land release areas in Spring Farm, Elderslie and Cobbitty;
  • Data collected during the recent flood events of 2022 (in March, April and July) can be used to calibrate the flood model;
  • Recent updates to the national guidelines used for flood estimation (Australian Rainfall and Runoff) provides more up-to-date data and methods for flood modelling;
  • Recent advancements in computing technology can allow a more detailed flood model to be developed; and
  • Implement the NSW Government's updated Flood Risk Management Manual 2023 into this study.

This flood study update will ensure that we have the most up-to-date flood information for the study area.

Community input has an important role in the study. It helps us understand your personal experiences from past flood events and helps ensure the computer flood models that are developed for the study reflect these experiences.

A flood survey has been posted to affected property owners within the Nepean River study area.

People with information about flooding in this area are encouraged to complete an online survey by 8 April 2024.

Photographs of flooding events can help illustrate flooding history and assist us to understand flood behaviour. Please upload your images using the 'Map Your Experience' tab on this webpage.

To speak in-person to a representative from WMAwater or Camden Council, please come along to a community drop-in session on Tuesday 19 March between 2 and 4 pm at Camden Library (40 John Street, Camden).

This will provide you with an opportunity to ask questions about the study and to share your flooding experiences.

If you can’t attend the drop-in session and have questions or require assistance with providing information please contact: