Water agencies are working to safeguard the Menindee Lakes and lower Darling-Baaka as warmer weather increases risks to water quality, fish health, and supply.

At the start of December, the Menindee Lakes held 42.9 percent of their capacity (742 gigalitres). Following heavy rainfall in the northern Basin, an additional 250 to 350 gigalitres is expected to flow in by late January.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) manages water from the Menindee Lakes until levels reach 480 gigalitres, when the NSW Government takes over. 

MDBA Executive Director of River Management, Jacqui Hickey, has stressed the importance of collaboration with NSW agencies, including the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and WaterNSW.

“The recent rainfall across the southern Basin has eased irrigation demands and enabled the MDBA to reduce its call on water from Menindee, providing more time for NSW to plan for conditions when the lakes reach 480 GL,” Ms Hickey said.

“If demands on the River Murray increase, we will likely begin calling water from the Lakes. In this event, we will work closely with NSW agencies to mitigate risks to water quality and fish death events,” she said. 

“Right now, we are attentive to a range of watch points, including blue-green algae, low oxygenation, and salinity risks.”

NSW DCCEEW Director of Water Planning Implementation, Allan Raine, said the groups are focusing on maximising storage levels and prioritising critical water needs. 

“The NSW Government and our partners are working to maximise storage in the top Lakes, where evaporation rates are lower,” Mr Raine said.

“We stand ready to support Menindee by prioritising water for town supplies, basic stock and domestic needs, and the environment, should storage levels hit the 480 GL trigger.”

Water quality monitoring shows dissolved oxygen levels in the Darling River at Menindee remain above critical thresholds for fish health. 

“We are not getting complacent and will continue to keep a close eye on the situation,” Mr Raine said.

The MDBA and NSW agencies say they will provide regular updates as summer progresses.

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