Macquarie River / Wambuul flood recovery program
This program involved community and government working together to remove debris rafts that formed along a stretch of the Macquarie River / Wambuul near the township of Warren following severe flooding in the state’s central west.
Following flood events in NSW, debris rafts formed along a stretch of the Macquarie River / Wambuul, between Warren (Top) Weir and Marebone Weir near Warren NSW. The debris rafts comprised organic and human-made material.
The Environmental Services Functional Area (the EPA is the lead agency) worked with supporting government agencies and the community as part of a coordinated flood recovery program.
Approximately ten shipping containers worth of human-made debris were removed from the River between Warren (Top) Weir and Marebone Weir in total.
Clean-up works commenced in April 2024 after the EPA appointed specialist contractor Northern Rivers Marine Services (NRMS) to undertake the work. Clean-up works concluded in December 2024.
We held community drop-in sessions in Warren before the program commenced and throughout the works to discuss management options for the debris rafts with the community. These sessions provided feedback and insights into community concerns and the potential risks associated with debris rafts and proposed approaches to managing the rafts.
Crews worked through challenging conditions to remove large amounts of human-made debris including chemical drums, fridges, hard and soft plastics, tyres and a variety of other items.
In addition to removing human-made debris, a significant amount of woody weed debris was also cleared from the river so crews could safely access and remove human-made debris. Where possible, in line with the Department of Primary Industries snag guidelines, large native woody debris over 300mm in diameter and 3m was retained in the River to preserve important aquatic habitats.
Native timber removed was used for beneficial reuse in other NSW river systems where appropriate in consultation with NSW Fisheries.
The Warren community were actively involved throughout the life of the program and contributed significantly to the successful outcome of the program. The EPA also recognises the combined efforts of local landholders, expert colleagues in other agencies, the Warren Shire Council and our specialist contractor.
The program was funded under the joint Commonwealth and State Disaster Funding Recovery Arrangements.
Watch the video below to learn more about the program.