A number of conclusions can be drawn from the Floodplain Risk Management Study which lead to inclusions in the Floodplain Risk Management Plan. These conclusions are as follows: - The study area (Wyong River and Mardi Creek from Woodbury's Bridge to a point 1.4 kilometres upstream from Tuggerah Lakes) covers some 18.34 sq kilometres. Thirteen(13) percent of the study area is zoned “Wetland Management Zone” while ten (10) percent is zoned as “Open Space”. The remainder is generally cleared and used for residential, commercial/industrial uses and agriculture (grazing). - There are 404 houses on the floodplain with floor levels below the 1% AEP flood level. - There are 148 commercial and light industrial premises on the floodplain. - The total average annual flood damage is some $9.22 million. The ranking of the contributions to flood damage are: - Commercial/Industrial: 82 percent - Public Utilities: 11 percent - Residential: 7 percent - The commercial/industrial damage is virtually all sustained in the Tuggerah Straight Industrial Area. - Wyong Shire Council's development control has been based on their Flood Prone Land Development Policy (circa 1986). The increase in buildings on the floodplain in the past 15 years suggests that the Policy is not achieving its objectives of minimising the financial and emotional cost of flooding. The Flood Policy should be updated and incorporated into a Development Control Plan. The creation of the DCP and its public exhibition will provide greater public awareness of floodplain management and will have greater standing in the Land and Environment Court. It is understood that the development of such a DCP is currently underway. - The Lower Wyong River has an operational flood warning system, though it has not been tested in a large flood. Similarly, the general lack of floods has the potential to create a situation where on-going maintenance of the flood warning system and infrastructure is overlooked. - The 2005 Floodplain Development Manual introduces concepts of:,